– with conscious, dedicated effort!
For the past two years I’ve been working out regularly at a local gym. The feeling of seeing tangible results is addictive and awe-inspiring if you ask me. Especially since I’ve always been a skinny kid. Until now that is.
I’ve bogged down 4 quick tips I can share with you to get you closer to your goals at the gym.
1. Don’t settle for less
One day I was at the gym, and my key didn’t fit the locker I was given. I asked a guy next to me to help me. I thought I was stupid or something. It turned out…my key was designed for another locker.
“Your key is for locker number 6, not 9” he said, looking down on me. “Maybe you should settle for less.”
I exploded on the inside. “I won’t settle for less,” I thought as I left the locker room.
And I didn’t settle for less. The trainer that day encouraged me to increase the weight after the first set. I thought I couldn’t, but he was right in the end.
Sometimes our mind needs a little more time to accept what the body can do. The vice versa is true as well.
2. Compare your current results with your past results, not the results of others
The easiest thing for your mind to do is to compare your results to those of others. But it also makes you nose dive into a small depression if you’re not on equal terms to those you compare yourself with. So what can you do?
It’s quite simple. Compare your current results with those from your past, especially from the moment you started. Go from there until the present moment. I’m sure you’ll feel better once you do this.
I’ve gained more muscles than I thought possible at first. Now that I look back I feel proud of myself, and set new goals in alignment with my past results, not the results of others.
3. Discipline lies within, you can’t borrow it from others
No matter how many people root for you they won’t be able to be with you every day. That is the moment you discover your true level of motivation.
I’m not saying self-discipline is easy though. It’s a process you have to go through every time you go to the gym or decide to procrastinate.
Your mind is your greatest ally…but also your greatest roadblock. Imagine your mind as a wild horse. You need to tame it first. Then, you can ride it whenever and wherever you want to.
I remember how I started going to the gym. I had received the necessary impulse to get my butt moving from my brother and a good friend as well. But, in the end, I’m the only one who coaches myself every day. I don’t depend on them anymore.
4. Nothing beats conscious, dedicated effort
Willpower you say? Sure. But only when you’re getting started.
However, willpower is a finite resource in my opinion. Discipline is not too far from that. Why? It’s because your subconscious mind, the sabotaging patterns you have there, will overwrite your willpower and discipline on numerous occasions.
Conscious, dedicated effort is the key to solving this. How do you do this?
You’ve got to train your body like you train your mind. But how do you train your mind? Well, it’s all about awareness. It’s important to bring all subconscious patterns into awareness. Be aware of what makes you tick and what throws you off.
Switch all your efforts from autopilot to manual control. Start by asking yourself this: what am I doing in an unconscious way that is sabotaging my efforts? What can I start doing today that will get me closer to my goal?
I hope you’ve enjoyed this article. Now it’s your turn. Please leave a comment below and tell me what you thought of it.