By: Nick Thomas
Time to get personal!
It is easy to all of a sudden be in a rut and just not be able to find your way out. It happens to all of us. Maybe it is just a lack of motivation, maybe something has discouraged you, or maybe you have just become complacent and therefore frustrated. As humans we crave growth, and to grow we have to be uncomfortable. This is true for any portion of your life, not just health and fitness. If you are not living your ideal life, it is probably because your expectations are greater than your effort. Do not let these feelings lead to decreasing your goal, instead increase your effort! This is a simple concept, but far from easy; so let’s break it down.
First you have to realize you will never be fully ready for anything, you just have to make up your mind and start. Fear will get you nowhere; fear is a liar. Write down your goal and your “why.” This will help you identify your “how” which will then allow you lay out the daily steps you must take to reach your goal. Most of all, you have to want it. That is the reason your “why” has to be strong; no one can want it for you, just like no one can do it for you. Your why has to be fueled with passion for what you are doing; passion will be what takes over and carries you through when your mind and body want to give up. I am talking passion so strong that it wakes you up in the morning!
This level of goal seeking and passion makes for some tough times — the pressure comes either from within you or from those around you. The obstacles inevitably come, and chances are it will be more than one or two. But you have to remember, if the path does not contain obstacles, then it probably does not lead anywhere worth going! Just as no pressure on a lump of coal leaves the coal just the same average lump, definitely not a diamond; by the same principle, no pressure on you equals no success! Harness the pressure and achieve that diamond status.
The key is your focus and ability to grind each day, in each 24-hour span given to you. Using those small activities you laid out in the beginning consistently will eventually add up to big accomplishments. The bigger the goal, the harder the grind. You cannot cheat the grind; it knows how much you have invested and will not give you anything you have not worked to achieve. You will get tired, but remember, champions keep going even when they have nothing left in the tank; they dig deep and do not stop until they reach their destination!
“Your attitude has to be such that you want the goal as bad as you want to breathe,” as Eric Thomas says. You have to be willing at any moment to sacrifice what you are for what you will become, to know that your dream is worth more to you than even sleep! You are responsible for the grind not the results; when the grind is on point, the results will take care of themselves.
By: Nick Thomas
Owner of Prime Performance Training, and Certified Sports Nutritionist