We live in this constant state of confusion and comfort moving from one phase to another. If you don’t have a plan at all or don’t fully trust the plan you are on, then this is how you live your life. This confusion and state of worry provide us with the negative conditions in which nothing can grow.
Most of us are attempting some sort of workout program, diet, or life improvement. We are always between one fad diet and another or switching back and forth from one workout program to the next because we don’t know or trust that it’s working or we just don’t like it! We haven’t given our body or MIND a chance to figure out what it should be doing, trust the process, and to do it properly; even if it is working!
I’m sure if you have ever accomplished anything truly challenging then you would agree that the mind plays a pivotal role in getting you through the tough times. The mind will always fail before the body unless you work to prevent it. We all have limiting beliefs and patterns that are holding us back, preventing us from fulfilling our true potential. When you have a coach that is there to push you beyond your limits and what you thought was possible, a breakthrough happens. Your entire belief system changes, and you take your life to another level.
The problem is that when we are unwilling to carry out a plan we are uncertain of; we fail to carry out a plan at all or we can’t adhere to a plan long enough for it to work. There’s things that we WANT to do, but often aren’t doing simply because we don’t have the belief or confidence in ourselves! We crave variety and more importantly CLARITY; and to be successful you should ask yourself these important questions:
1: What do you want?
2. Do you know how to get it?
3. How will you stay motivated and enjoy the process?
We all shy away from the feeling of confusion and replace it with comfort. Instead of taking the time to decide what we want for ourselves we do what we know or what makes us comfortable. This comfortable life shows on our body and psyche just the same as the confusion.
From my personal experience during the 12-16-week period before a show, fitness competitors are put on an EXACT plan, usually by a coach. This tells us which foods to eat, what amounts, how often, and what should happen if you are doing everything properly. It’s funny to me now how many people are blown away by the amount of commitment and dedication it takes to follow a plan to a “T”. I’ve even been told that there’s no way that I enjoy my life! I must be miserable being held to such strict restrictions on what I can eat! To that argument I say this…
How many of you wake up in the morning and think about what you are going to eat, factoring in numerous different things such as:
What you ate/drank last night, how tired you feel, how hungry you feel, what you have planned for the day, the amount of time that you have, the food you have…etc.
Now, these are HARD decisions that I don’t envy those of you choosing to make off the cuff. Not just in the morning but 5-6+ times a day, every single day! I know that many of you don’t see the importance of these “simple” choices but each meal determines our quality of life and how we function throughout the day!
I spent months of my off-season working hard, but in a state of confusion; without seeking guidance from a coach…worrying about things such as: am I eating enough, am I eating too much, am I getting too bulky, am I too lean, am I getting bigger? As we all do at one point or another, I had felt like I had reached a plateau and was stuck in a state of confusion. Finally, show-time rolls around, so I got together with my coach (yes, even I seek guidance from a coach) at 16 weeks out and we devised a plan to start leaning out for the show.
Within a week I was down almost 10 lbs. It seemed like the fat, inflammation, and water were just melting off and I was right on track! This is when I thought to myself…. this is crazy, is this new change in diet really working that well and quickly or is this just partly psychological? We can convince ourselves of many things both good and bad and I thought maybe I was just convincing myself it was working.
Then I came to the realization…we know the power of the mind, maybe IT IS partly psychological and the CLARITY that this new diet had offered me allowed my mind and body to work together. For months I had lived in this state of confusion and thus I feel like it showed on my body. As soon as I knew what the goal was, what I was supposed to eat, when, and trusted that it would work (because it’s science); my body and mind were able to sync up and start heading in the right direction together!
This is why I will always believe in personal training and having a coach for any endeavor. We all want to know exactly what to do and most of us won’t do anything at all until we know for sure! No one wants to waste their time on activities, meals, or business decisions that they aren’t guaranteed will get them results or satisfaction. Time is the most scarce resource that exists. You can always make more money, but you can’t get more time. Yet, in our efforts to do things on our own we’re taking the long route and wasting that time away in an attempt to save money. This is simply because we don’t know the path ahead and what to expect.
The CLARITY that a coach can provide for you is incomparable to any facts you may read in an article, the latest fad program, fat burner, detox, cleanse, liquid diet, or what your fit friend told you to do.
THE QUICKEST ROUTE TO YOUR DESTINATION, the secret to success that we are all looking for, is to get a coach and let them help you decide what YOU truly want, figure out exactly how to make it happen with YOUR life and schedule, and stay motivated and excited throughout YOUR personal journey.
Successful people have coaches.
The moment you choose to stop living your life in confusion or comfort, think the hard thoughts, answer the tough questions, make the hard decisions, and gain some CLARITY you will make huge gains in mental and physical health. If you aren’t feeling great about your current program and therefore not following it or possibly about to quit and try something else…
I challenge you to take immediate action and apply what you learned in this blog. Find a coach immediately. You won’t regret it. It’ll be one of the best decisions you ever make in your life.
If you’re interested in hiring me as your coach, I am happy to speak to you further about it. Coaching is a passion of mine! But it doesn’t have to be me. Find someone, ANYONE, that you can help you get the results you want in your life!
By: Todd Smith