My Starbucks Gym Membership Card

Considering how many varieties of coffees there are at Starbucks, Times the number of people in the world factoring to their definition of fit is. Could that be the reason why some New Year's resolution do not stick? Let's take a look into that.

There was a comedy routine where no matter what you asked for there was always a question.

“I would like a sandwich.” ” would you that on white, wheat, whole grain, half grain…..”

“Wheat please.” ” do you want ham, beef, chicken, bologna…”

“Ok I'll take ham.” “We have plain, sugar-cured, honey-cured, spiral, steak….”

I could go further because there's your choice of cheese and then the toppings. This post could become endless, simply with all the options. The good news is that this is just a sketch. Right?

Enter Starbucks, Subway, Panera, and Chipotle just to name a few. I not against having food choices. In fact, one favorite thing I've done with my family is to go into a food court and everyone gets something different. It's great fun, but if you carry it over to say a gym membership then things can get a bit messy. Thus I present my Starbucks gym membership card.(this is not a actual card or gym, unless you are Starbucks reading this then call me!!!)

The Starbucks gym membership card marries two ideas that can lead to one reason that resolutions thrive and fail. We will pose the question of fail first, then lead into how to make those pesky resolutions not only thrive but grow beyond your orginal expectations.

It seems that every year there is a spike in gym membership. People decide for the new year they want to lose weight and get fit. By the end of January, there is a marked decline in attendance and the goals are now just to make an appearance to justify having the membership. A look into the not too distance future is a gym membership with cobwebs or simply burned up with some curly fries. The problem is we live in such an instant world that we believe that simply owning a gym membership will get us that beach body by spring. The results never come as fast as we want them to, or as Thomas Edison once said “opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” If you missed your goals last year or even this year, I am not calling you lazy. You are not a victim. You may have fallen into the concept of poor planning or expectation beyond your ability. There is that one goal, but how to get there?….

I remember the first time, I went into a Starbucks, it was intimidating. There were so many options and the people sound so smart. I want something different than the normal coffee I would get at a gas station(which is where I would get my “treat” coffee, man how times have changed). It is funny to me now because as I was saying the Starbucks didn't smell like a gas station. The menu was intense(at least to me). There wasn't small, medium, or large. Those terms were replaced by much fancier terms. Along with this was the growing concern now having been in line for a few minutes, what was I going to order? In a panic and remembering a scene from “you've got mail”(Tom Hanks' character was having a similar rant along these line), I blurted out the order of the guy in the movie. I want to make this adbundantly clear, that was a stupid idea,but thankfully it was a simple order and I liked it. It became my drink until I was introduce to the Frappuccinos then I had two drinks. The fact of so many options may just intimidate you out of some really good coffee or other wonderous things if you let them.

Now let's mash these ideas and see if we can get some success.

Starbucks offers options. The gym offers results. You need to make it plain and simple.

Habakkuk 2:2 NIV
[2] Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.

Now we get these ideas together and get some serious things done.

I mentioned that amongst all the options Starbucks offers, I had found my drink. I only expanded onto the second after have a drink that was mine. I may try new things, but as a general rule, I have my standards that I will always go to. If I were to tie this idea into the gym, one of my first questions is “what is fit”? Starbucks with it's many options doesn't bother me simply because I know what I want. In the avenue of getting fit, the idea alone doesn't give you a target to hit. My favorite drink at Starbucks and my definition of fit may not match yours in the least. Your goals and favorite drink may be equally repulsive to me. The true way for the membership to work is to set tangible goals. Instead of getting fit, I would suggest trying to lose 10 lbs and/or fit into pants two sizes smaller than your current size. These are measurable goals that can help keep you on track and more importantly adjust as goals are achieved. It is also extremely important to make the goal achievable for maximum effectiveness. If I told you I want to write a collection of short stories based off a certain blog, that would be achievable. If I told you I was going to write a squel to “War and Peace” and it would be of equal or greater length, your response may be “why”? It would not be anyone choice for their first go at writing.

Our text is a simple instruction to keep things simple and to treat it as something run with. The Bible also has another verse to consider for your goals.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9 NIV
[5] Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. [6] These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. [7] Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. [8] Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. [9] Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

In a nutshell, keep the goal in front you always. Talk about and let people know what you are doing. If you keep your goals simple, achievable and always in front of you, the likelihood of success is far greater than if you set out nothing at all.

One more verse to consider in the Starbucks gym membership card:

Matthew 6:33 NIV
[33] But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

I have talked about coffee, going to the gym, and becoming fit, but there are things that are far greater than those things. Success is great, but each of these verse are pointing to something far greater. I am not about to tell you that if you come to Jesus and everything will come out great. I am saying that there are greater things than just these temporary bodies we inhabit for such a small time in the consideration of the universe.

It is a new year and it could very well be a new you. The question remain how long can you keep the shine on and for what reson do you shine?