Fitness Philosopher

Inspiration.

Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.  -- Leon J. Suenes

The sound of clanging dumbbells.
The thought of doing a 300 pound deadlift.
The feeling of sweat pouring down your face.
The demanding nature of a full throttle sprint.

If these images don't motivate you;  if you're one of the majority who appreciates the benefits of training, but isn't thrilled to train for the sake of training, what do you need to do to ensure that you not only get to the gym, but that you give quality effort when you get there?

Look inward and uncover your true source(s) of inspiration.  Define the driving force that gets you out of bed in the morning.

It might be:

A role model.
Your family.
Your career.
Your health and longevity.
Your goals.

Find something, because without inspiration, getting to the gym and achieving your goals becomes a formidable challenge.

  

One Hundred Percent.

It goes without saying that nobody, including the world's most elite athletes, is expected to give 100% of their life to training.

After all, training is only one component of the whole in the process of improving performance.

It goes without saying that you aren't expected to be on track 100% of the time when pursuing fitness.

After all, you're only human.  And over the course of a lifetime you'll encounter other matters that take precedent over training.

That being said, there comes a time where 100% effort is expected. . . and that time begins the moment you step on the gym floor for your training session.

You'll need 100% commitment.
100% focus.
100% exertion.
100% determination.
100% purpose.

Even if you're not having your best day, you need to give 100% of what your body and mind will allow -- the best you can offer in the present moment.

After all, if you don't give 100% to your moments in the gym, you'll find it very difficult to achieve 100% of the results you're looking for.

The Power of Choice.

Of the responsibilities associated with my career, helping clients to solve their health and fitness "problems" is my favorite and one that I take a lot of pride in.

When a client comes to me distraught over a personal dilemma that's interfering with their training, stressed about the burdens of their job, or lamenting the fact that they've fallen off track with their nutrition, I remind them of one simple thing:

YOU HAVE A CHOICE.

For every situation you encounter, you have a choice as to how you're going to handle it.

Always recognize that.  YOU HAVE A CHOICE!

The choice may not always be pleasant, but the fact remains that:

• You have a choice as to the actions you'll take in the presence of hardship.
• You have a choice over the mindset you'll have as you take action (no matter how unpleasant that action is).

You are exclusively the one who has the power to make decisions for yourself.  Nobody can crawl into your brain and take that away from you.

As such, be proactive!  Evaluate your options as you face any obstacle that stands before you.  Choose to make the best choice possible.  Choose to be content with your choice.  Practice this NOW.  (And if your choice ends up being a mistake, that's okay. . . After all, you'll have choices available to help yourself find a remedy.)

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For there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.
                                                        -- Hamlet:  William Shakespeare