These 3 paragraphs are all from SparkPeople and I think they all tie in together.  To me there is a process from having a dream (whether it is about your health, your weight or your whole being) to figuring out how to achieve those dreams (the goals) and the key ingredient that keeps you moving toward those goals is discipline.  It isn't about willpower but the habits and skills that keep you trying - correcting when things don't work and moving forward.  I am watching clients of mine after leaving the program try out various ways of living a healthy life.  We have to adjust and keep working at it daily.  Hopefully My Life Blossoms gives people some tools and some confidence to keep experimenting with their lives.  We are a work in progress!!  I am always here as a cheerleader and to bounce ideas off of - whether you are in the program or not!!

What we can learn from our path to the present
Often in moments of discouragement or depression, it's easy to feel that your life is going nowhere or that change is impossible. But it's simply not true! Take a minute to think back over your life. Chances are, you'll see a lot of growth in all of your formative areas. From childish playing, to youthful impulsiveness and adult reasoning, life sure has taken you on a roller coaster hasn't it? When you were young, someone probably asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up. If someone posed that same question to you now, what would you say? Let this reflection be an indicator of your dreams.

Living Within Today
Sometimes it seems like we're always putting off our goals until some vague time in the future called "Once". "Once the New Year rolls around...", "Once I have my new job...", "Once I retire...", "Once the kids are in school...", "Once the kids are OUT of school..." Sound familiar? By waiting for Once to get here, we waste time and frustrate our desire to do what we really want. It's a fact of life that every time one potential distraction disappears, it's quickly replaced with a new one. There will always be something that can stand in your way - if you let it. Ask yourself: are these distractions real reasons, or just good excuses for putting something off? Goals cannot be started in the future. The laws of time and nature dictate that you can only act in the present. You are here, today. So are your goals. The only good time to start is right now.  SparkPeople

Are you able to focus on your goals?
Calm your mind. Quiet all of the distractions surrounding you. Concentrate on the one task at hand. Often a naysayer can cloud our minds and break our focus. What in your life distracts you? In the moment of need, silence your brain and allow yourself to stay focused. Save your worries about tomorrow and guilt over yesterday's failures for another time. Maybe you need to meditate, pray, or simply spend a few moments quietly gathering yourself before tackling the project at hand. Now is the time for just one thing--reaching your goal. Today, focus your energy, clear your head, and achieve! SPARKPEOPLE

"People think I'm disciplined. It is not discipline. It is devotion. There is a great difference." -- Luciano Pavarotti