Properly using the carrot and stick

Today I am at 19.2 lbs lost-- I have 0.8lbs to go before I hit one of my most important milestones-- breaking 200!!!  I was having a conversation with a friend the other day, and she asked me how much I've lost and when I started.  When I told her, she replied enthusiastically, "So you should hit your goal in 3 months!"  I replied by telling her that I figured by August, I should reach my target.  She was shocked, "but that's 6 months away, why do you want to put it off?  Why not just work harder and get it over with?"  It's a valid question.  My answer was that I was in no rush- to me it was more important that it was done right, than just getting it done.  I know the weight can be lost- my biggest worry however, is, what happens after???
The Dukan diet (and exercise) have been more than just a weight-loss method- I have found peace with myself.  The discipline of it all has really proved to me that I CAN take control- it's been like a roadmap.  I learn something new EVERYDAY, and I guess I don't want to rush that- I'll get there.
Going back to the carrot/stick metaphor, I think it's important that we properly distance the stick.  We don't want to keep the stick too long, and as a consequence loose sight of the carrot, and conversely, we don't want to keep the stick too short, and just grab the carrot, without moving forward.
The carrot/stick idiom originates from a  story whereby a cart driver would hold a carrot out, in front of a donkey,  which would be dangling from a stick just out of reach.  The donkey would move forward to reach for the carrot, and in so doing would pull the cart and driver.  Now apply the metaphor.  You ARE the driver, and the donkey is your will.  But do you control your will, or does it just go aimlessly, trying to reach a carrot? Do you know what you carry in your cart? Is your carrot desirable enough to compel your donkey to pull that cart?  What is your carrot and what does it represent?
Most people think the carrot is the goal, but I would rather say that the goal is to get the cart from point A to point B, the carrot is merely the incentive to get to the destination.  Whether it's reaching size X, or fitting into a size X pair of jeans, or running a marathon, or...  Regardless of what it is, let's not mistake the carrot for our goal.  Moreover, let's not forget that it's not the donkey's job to stay on course!
It is not enough to say "I want to loose weight".  I think, it's more important to know WHY you want to loose the weight, or more importantly, why you MUST, loose it.  Where do you want to get to?  At what point will you reach the carrot?  And what happens when you do?  Will you have reached your desired destination or just chased a carrot to some other unknown place?
It's better to focus on what it all means, and what it will mean if you do NOT.  Know that YOU are in control and every action you take (even if it's taking NO action) takes you closer or further-off the desired path.  It's great to reach the carrot, but let's get somewhere in the process.  Don't want to get to the carrot and realize why your donkey's been wondering about in circles-- Take control!!!!





Picture from: http://www.harpyness.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/carrot-and-stick-incentive.bmp