1. Do you remember an attempt of personal or professional change that you quickly abandoned? What goal did you want to achieve?
  2. What were the thoughts and emotions that accompanied you when you abandoned the change?
  3. What/who could have helped you to keep pursuing your goal?
  4. In hindsight, now, if you were in the same situation, what would you do differently?

Below is a sample of responses.

  1. “A few years ago I set myself the goal of practicing sport at least three times a week; I have specifically identified the race as a 'sporting activity', that was ideal for my needs. My goal was to run every other day for at least 45 mins.”
  2. “I gave up during the autumn months, when at the same time I was also very busy with work. The continuous rain and the cold wind was not inviting to go out and do sport; I began to invent a thousand excuses to postpone or cancel the race. Every little cold was welcome. On the one hand I felt guilty, because I was 'betraying' my early good intentions, on the other hand I also felt like a loser, weak, not strong enough to face difficulties with resolve.”
  3. “If the weather had really been a factor, I could have decided to enrol at a gym, to run on the treadmill in the winter months. If I had a friend with whom to run, it surely would have helped me persevere."
  4. “I would start looking at more realistic goals to achieve immediately, in the first months of sport. Beyond that, I would share my project with another trusted person (friend/partner) who I would ask train to with me, or to monitor/check my progress and to give me periodical feedback."