I often get asked how I stay so disciplined in terms of eating healthy and exercising regularly. The secret to this, which really isn't a secret, is my commitment to this lifestyle. I believe that one of the purposes in life is to become the strongest version of yourself-- mentally, emotionally, physiologically and physically. And because of this belief and my passion to achieve this, I am
committed and
dedicated to rolling my sleeves up and putting in the work. The key words here are "
committed" and "
dedicated."
Commitment and dedication to achieving your goals is the only way you'll ever succeed.
There is often a lot of talk about needing motivation, be to obtain it from people, events, music, you name it. And yes, motivation is important to get you started.
You have to want it. However, motivation is not what keeps you going. Commitment and dedication is.
I frequently hear people complaining about having a lack of motivation to workout, or a lack of motivation to put in the work to reach their goals. But that's nothing more than an excuse to justify the reason they're failing. You don't need to be motivated 24/7. If that was the case, nobody would ever achieve anything. Rather, you need to visualize your end goal, and understand
why you're putting yourself through this struggle. If you can't figure that out, there is no way you're going to stick with it.
For myself, I've always been a competitive person who strives to be better than everyone else. But about three months ago, something in me clicked and I realized that I wanted to be better. I no longer wanted to only beat others, I wanted to beat myself. I wanted to hammer the weak out of me, so to speak. This does not just encompass being physically fit, but also mentally, emotionally, and physiologically as well. I wanted to further challenge myself. I wanted to push myself beyond the realms of what I
think I'm capable of and into
what I never knew I was capable of. I want to become the strongest possible version of myself. That's the goal. That's the reason why I am committed to this lifestyle.
With that in mind, there are obviously times when I don't feel like working out, or when I would rather opt for unhealthy choices. But because I am committed to this process, and I am dedicated to constant self-improvement, I resist these temptations. There have been cold and rainy mornings where my body ached, and I couldn't mentally convince myself to want to get out of bed and to want to put myself through a gruelling workout that I know is going to be tough. But I do it anyways.
When you're committed to something, it means doing it even when you don't feel like it. It means putting aside your feelings, and getting it done.
So yes, I think the cry for the need for "motivation" to workout, or to achieve anything in life, is an excuse made by the weak--
it is a cop out.
I hope you all have something you're striving for. But no matter what, don't give up. Don't cop out. If you're going to do something, give it your all. Otherwise, there's really no point starting in the first place.
Until next time,
C
