I have not failed 10,000 times. I have successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.
Thomas Edison
All of us, either current, or in the past have tried and failed at a great number of things. Some of us tried again with a different approach and others never tried agin. Beginning something new is not fraught with challenges. The key is how to we make our attempts as successful as possible and minimize setbacks that may derail our progress.
The best way to ensure a successful endeavor is to reassess what attempts in the past were successful and which weren't. Taking this nuanced approach to your fitness well being is just as prudent. Think about your past attempts to kick start a fitness program. Ask yourself these questions?
- Which attempts were most successful?
- Why were you successful?
- Which attempts were not successful?
- Why were they not as successful?
By stepping back and being objective you can begin to study what situations or triggers created a successful behavior pattern and which derailed your progress.
One of the first things we need to change is LANGUAGE. Stopping saying:
- I can't
- It's to hard
- I don't have time
- I failed
If these words are apart of your lexicon. Delete them from your "hardware" ( Brain ). Allowing these terms to creep into your life will never allow you out of the gate. Instead use positive words:
- I can do this
- I'll push myself
- I figure time even if it's 10 minutes of something
- I will succeed
Positive words leads to positive actions!!
We all need to recognize that life can be complicated and the best intentions can go awry due to unforeseen events. Seeking and setting blame only paralyzes progress. So do your best to avoid negative labels. Solving problems is always better than creating them!!!
On going research has determined that these 5 things can create a positive environment for an individual to change their lives.
- Specific plans work better than vague Ideas: Saying you're going to work is not the same as planning your time to work. Stop making vague references and pinpoint the times and days exercise can be focused upon. A schedule is a schedule for success.
- Unrealistic goals are discouraging: We all want to gain strength and lose weight. But expecting to lose 10 -20 pounds a month or bench press 160 pounds in 3 weeks is unrealistic and a recipe for injury!. Start by getting into a normal routine first and then establish simple tasks and then progress to more challenging activities.
- Keep stress from interfering with your intentions: Stress is a part of our lives. How do you cope with stress? Understanding what lies ahead as far as work or a family commitment can prepare you ahead of time to plan for events or situations that can put pressure on you. Being forewarned is preparing for the inevitable. Exercise is an excellent stress release! Make it apart of your de stress plan.
- Plan for disruption: Sometimes things can be too much, even when you know that it's coming. Know what your limits are. Sometimes taking a break is just as good as exercising. Recovery leads to clarity and that can help repurpose you.
- Get social support: I ask this of all clients who begin here. Who is your support network? Who has your back when you begin to wavier?. I'm one component of that, but I only see you when you're here. I have no influence once you're back in the "world". Having a partner to walk with, play sports with, or exercise together can be paramount to ensuring fitness success.
As you can see learning from your past can be beneficial in helping you eventually find success in establishing a fitness based lifestyle. Only through self reflection can we be successful. You have to keep trying. Giving up is not an option.
Next Level Fitness is a small private fitness facility in Oakland, CA. It is located in the GrandLake area of Oakland. Next Level Fitness provides chiropractic, personal training and small group training services to these areas of Oakland 94610, 94611, 94602. We cater to " Every-Body " but specialize in fitness services for adults 30 (+).
