In the constant pursuit of the fad of the week we find ourselves chasing a mythical magic pill, the path of least resistance, one that will give you the desired aesthetic and performance that we see on Instagram, T.V., or in magazines. Or maybe you’re pursuing fitness because you love the way it makes you feel, you remember a time when you felt more alive and are desperate to get back there.
Sometimes this sparks something inside you, drives you to want to do more, achieve more, be the best version of yourself, you find your groove and don’t look back. Other times the promises of your well intentioned endeavor falls short and it’s back to the drawing board.
Fitness is a journey, one that is never mastered nor completed. It is an evolving part of your internal fabric driven by variables that change with the world around you. The worst thing you can do is give up on yourself and fill your subconscious with doubt on whether or not you’ll ever find something that suits you.
Sit down and define your ‘why’. Without an intrinsic drive to push you past the points of resistance you leave yourself vulnerable to failure. It has to come from you and it has to hold value with your current set of priorities, without that it is simply another short term solution to a long term dilemma. Align your drive with the intended stimulus and outcome of the given fitness program, if it initially makes you uncomfortable- good! Comfortable is what got you where you’re at, you have to trust yourself and your intuitive nature to what you know you want. Keep putting yourself out there and know that you can achieve what you may think just isn’t meant for you.
Once you’ve set yourself on this path be prepared to work hard and commit to the process as there is always work to do and areas of your fitness you can continue to improve upon. Be ready to reevaluate your ‘why’ as your circumstances and priorities change and adjust your approach accordingly.
Most of all remember to enjoy it. To steal a commonly used quote on happiness, fitness is the journey-not the destination.
-Dr. Crane
Photo by Alex Tubbs of Tubbs Photos