I joined Scholars last month and started using the Urge Jar for overeating even though it isn’t my primary life goal right now. I lost 5 lbs to meet my goal weight (surprised me! thought about setting a new goal weight!), then gained the 5 pounds back the past week while I was sick and didn’t notice I was getting off track (not processing my urges, not planning my meals).

A more important result in my life I want to change is to finish my novel. But I don’t want to be a “quitter” on this recent weight loss, even though I hadn’t intended to focus on it when I started Scholars. Do you recommend sticking with a focus on overeating so that I’m not quitting on myself when the going gets a little hard? Or should I focus on finishing my novel, which is a more important life goal to me overall?

There are reasons for each focus that I both like and dislike. The best reason for either focus is “to show myself that I can.”