Okay, a little honesty to begin the week.
I’m not happy with the way I currently look.
No, this isn’t going to be some sob story blog entry. I’m just not satisfied with my current physical appearance. My time on the road, my love of some of some of the local San Diego restaurants, and way too infrequent visits to the gym took its toll and in the past two years, I’ve gained over 30 lbs.
I’m disappointed in myself especially since I’m a “motivational” speaker.
So I have been taking steps in the past few months to turn this tide. I have been eating a little bit better and I’m working out fairly frequently.
But I still get frustrated with myself. I didn’t hit my goal weight for my wedding–in part because I wasn’t as dialed in as I should have been.
So I renewed with my trainer and I’ve been hitting the gym really hard during the past 6 weeks. I’ve been building muscle. My weight currently remains about the same (my wife is a really good baker and I enjoyed a few too many treats), but my muscle has been increasing.
I’ve been working with my trainer about three days a week and he’s been impressed with my gains. Last week, I was having a lower energy day and I started to complain that I couldn’t lift as much as I thought I should. He stopped me.
“Patrick, your problem is that with you it’s all or nothing, but you need to recognize that doing something is still good. We all have weaker days. Big deal.”
It was good, blunt truth.
As I walked home from the gym that day, I realized he was really right. I get so disappointed when my workout doesn’t go right or my diet wasn’t 100% that day and my reaction to that is to often either abandon my progress or to put such pressure on myself to achieve an even higher standard. I also know I do this in parts of my work. I get stuck in a cycle that prevents me from progressing, simply because I’m demanding an almost unachievable level of perfection.
Does this sound like you as well?
Are you finding yourself in the familiar cycle of “I can’t do that, so I won’t do anything at all?”
If you’ve been stuck like me, today’s blog is just a simple entry to say…
It’s okay if you took a step back today. Reset and try again.
No, this doesn’t mean that we embrace mediocrity for ourselves, but rather than in our quest to be our very best, it’s alright if some days aren’t as easy as the others.
I’m going to keep up that pursuit, and I hope you will as well.
