Take off 100 pounds in order to have the surgery, or live with the excruciating pain. That was what was in front of my client. His pain was so intense he was into narcotic stages. The constant hip pain of bone on bone. No way to lay down without the throbbing. “¦Sleeping upright in a chair was his only option.
Sounds easy enough doesn’t it? Lose the weight and get the surgery for gosh sakes!!! But to a person who has fought excess weight his whole life being stuck in this dilemma isn’t such an easy fix. Overweight human beings have a huge fear around “being on another diet” and the failure that accompanies that.
Inthis particular casehe not only had to succeed with the dietandlose 100 pounds for the hip replacement,but hehadto look at the possibility ofdie-ing on the table due to complications associated with such surgeries.
(People die due to blood clotting and other complications all the time.)
He was in the preverbal no win situation. He had to face his fears, dig in and live one day at a time. Change his eating habits, and slowly make the weight disappear all while living with constant pain and suffering. Lots of coaching took place. But he did it. He was one of the bravest men I know. It took about 8 months to lose the weight. He had successful hip replacement, and then 6 months later did the other hip. Now he is in rehab, still working on his weight, but not in constant pain, and not on narcotics and the fog associated with it.
When coaching for businesses I have to identify the elephant in the room. Sometimes just “naming it” is enough to move a TEAM from being stuck, into action. Funny how “being stuck” sneaks up on you. Like weight it just piles on a little at a time. First one day, then week, and then some years get behind you.
In business it happens when TEAMS are unclear with the vision moving forward. They get caught up in the day to day and fail to move towards the future.