Everyone knows that in order to get stronger we need to challenge our muscles a little more than they’re used to. People think that if they do that and eat right, they will reach all of their fitness goals.
Unfortunately, they are missing one important piece. Thankfully I realized early on another vital ingredient to the “fitness puzzle.”
Mindset
Our minds are one of the most powerful things in this world.
With the right mindset we can achieve almost anything. With the wrong mindset, we can achieve almost nothing.
While there are lots of different factors when it comes to mindset, I’ll just focus on a few different points for now.
For more in depth perspectives on developing a positive mindset, I refer you to two of my favorite mindset authors, Dr. Caroline Leaf and Shawn Achor.
Being Grateful
My pastor just preached a sermon yesterday on the importance of being grateful to God for what He has done in our lives.
While I tend to be grateful myself, I recently caught myself being whiny about some life circumstances. I really had to check myself. It’s very easy to get caught up in what went wrong, what was missing, and what we want. Compare the frequency of those types of thoughts with the ones where you think to yourself how much you have, how things went well, or what you did notice. When you see yourself taking a turn towards “negative town,” catch yourself and replace the negative with a positive.
Be Realistic About Time
If there is one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that anything worthwhile takes time. This includes building a:
- Better body
- Successful business or career
- Fulfilling relationship
- Skill in a sport or hobby
- Solid retirement account
- Solid faith life
- Positive mindset
Most people give up after just a few days but the reality is it takes at least a couple of months to see significant progress in these areas and much longer for dramatic results.
Embrace the process and realize it’s OK that it takes time.
Future of Possibilities
Do you feel like your tomorrow won’t be better than your today?
For example, do you only see yourself as you are and not what you could be?
If you’re not as fit or healthy (or fill in the blank with anything else) as you’d like, is that how you see yourself, as you are?
Well, you don’t have to be stuck. This is true even if one or more things haven’t gone your way.
Let’s take Thomas Edison as an example. Although he tries a thousand times before succeeding in inventing the light bulb, he never considered himself a failure.
In fact, when asked about his “failures” he quipped, “I have gotten lots of results! I know several thousand things that won’t work!” He had a goal and was committed to doing whatever it took to achieve it.
Having an attitude of gratitude, an understanding and acceptance of the time it may take to achieve a goal, and seeing possibilities regardless of circumstances are all crucial to your success.
Billy Hofacker - Owner & Transformation Coach at Total Body Boot Camp - BS, CSCS