Take Risks. Seek Reward.

When I meet prospective clients, our discussion often progresses from its initial purpose -- uncovering health, injury and exercise history -- to a heart-to-heart about the client's battles with achieving optimal health and fitness.  i.e.  What triggered the client to get out of shape in the first place?  What daily events prevented them from starting a program before?  If they have tried to start a training program before, what has kept them from being successful? Oftentimes, the answers go something like this:

• "I hadn't been in the gym for so long, that I didn't know where to begin my training."

• I was embarrassed to go to the gym and be around people who were in better shape than me."

• "I didn't know how to use the equipment and didn't want to look like an idiot fumbling around with the machines and free weights."

• "I'd tried before and failed, so why should I try again?"

• "My career, personal life, financial burdens. . . etc. got in the way."

• "I wasn't happy with my situation, but was uncomfortable with changing it.  I was afraid to take the first steps to make things better."

These feelings are all valid, and they represent the fears that so many of us have experienced -- whether we were scrawny or fat, rich or poor, old or young, an elite athlete or the "average everyday" person.   The question is, are you strong enough to look your fears in the eye, beat them down and work hard to come out on top?  Are you willing to take the risk?

Making the decision to improve your fitness and ultimately, your life, can be frightening because it does involve great risk.  You risk experiencing failure.  You risk feeling discomfort and pain.  You risk confronting your true self and having to deal with inner demons that you really don't want to face.

But if you DON'T take those risks, you risk NEVER finding success.  You risk NEVER experiencing the joy of overcoming physical and mental hardships.  You risk NEVER discovering the real you -- you risk NEVER truly living.

And your improved health is worth the "risk" of eating quality nutrition.  Your improved fitness is worth the "risk" of stepping into the gym and grinding through a grueling workout.  Your improved life is worth the "risk" of stepping out of your unhealthy comfort zone and trying to develop some new good habits.

Now the question remains:
                        If you know that "you're worth it," are you ready to take the risk?

                            Risk

To laugh, is to risk playing the fool.
To weep, is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out to another, is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings, is to risk exposing our true selves.
To put your ideas, your dreams, before the crowd is to risk loss.
To love, is to risk not being loved in return.
To live, is to risk dying.
To hope, is to risk despair.
To try at all, is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken,
Because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they simply cannot learn, change, feel, grow, love, live. . .
Chained by their attitudes they are slaves.

ONLY THE PERSON WHO RISKS IS FREE.

Author Unknown