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Today I want to talk a bit about the mental side of exercise. Why do you train? Why do you quit? And what keeps you going when it all gets a bit much or results stop coming?
People often say to me: “it must be so easy naturally being in shape, I just don’t have the genetics or the time”. What people don’t realise is that I have done a solid 20 years’ weight training consistently. My genetics are average at best. But where I do succeed is in my attitude and my ability to come back and never, ever quit. A lot of people seem happy to hide behind excuses when they do not succeed and this really limits their potential.
The reason I am so motivated is because of my childhood. Bullying for being weedy made me determined to build myself up. That chip is still implanted in my brain. I am self-aware enough to realise that this is not the most healthy of attitudes but still, the raw thought of this fuels my training, whilst my logical thinking allows me to take pride in how far I have come and how exercise has defined who I am.
So, that is what works for me, but of course, everyone is different. It may be that you train to maintain quality of life to play with your kids/grandkids. It may be that you have health problems that specific exercise alleviates. Whatever the reason, make sure you are aware of it and plant it fully in your brain. We all need to draw inspiration from our own motivations now and again.
Our individual goals are what keep us going when we are bored and tired of the gym, too busy or, frankly, over it! Ask yourself: why did I start in the first place? What have I achieved? What can I do now that I couldn’t previously? And, most importantly, how has the process changed me as a person? This is how you end up getting results. By not quitting you start to get consistency. If you hit long-term consistency in diet and training I promise you this: you WILL get results.
The biggest joy any personal trainer can get from his clients isn’t when they achieve a personal best or develop a six-pack, it’s the personality and confidence changes that spread into other areas of life as the client becomes a happier, more confident individual. This is when you become a real winner. Exercise is there to serve a purpose in improving quality of life. The mental side of this and understanding your motivations play a big role in succeeding.
Online coaching with a PT experienced within this format can help people explore their motivations, and help provide them with the framework for accountability and consistency. This is what gets results and is a lot more cost effective than 1-1 PT.
I hope you enjoyed this article. If so, please share on your social media!
Speak soon, Sam