Blog Archives
If you want it, you have to WORK
Despite being told hundreds of thousands of times, and our common sense yelling at us that there is no magic pill, we still hold out hope. We still believe that someone out there just doesn’t have to do anything and they look, feel and live the life of their dreams without ever having to suffer or sweat or work for it.
And I’m sorry but that’s just ridiculous.
At some time, in some way, everyone has had to work and sweat for their success. At some point they’ve had to sacrifice (even if they somewhat enjoy the sacrifice) and put long-term goals ahead of instant gratification and enjoyment.
Because the simple fact is that success means HARD WORK. It does mean some sacrifice. It does mean sometimes thinking long-term instead of simply living in the moment.
And it also means taking risks that could lead to failure. Failures that make you then reassess and adapt. That test your drive and dedication.
Failures that can make you better if you pick yourself back up and again…WORK HARD.
I know we’ve all seen the fitspo that say:
And honestly…It’s so true!
Often when we see people enjoying the fruits of their labors, we don’t think about all the work they had to put in to get there. We just see them enjoying their success and then assume it was easy for them.
But trust me. They worked. And they may not remember all of the sacrifices, and they may even romanticize the journey now that it is done, but they freaking worked hard.
Because achieving your goals really does means working hard. There is no magic pill. There really is no short cut. There really is no one that is just so lucky to have everything come easily to them.
So stop spending a lot of time and energy looking for a short cut. Apply that time and energy toward something beneficial…Like actually WORKING toward your goals.
And can I also say…This goes hand in hand with MAKING TIME FOR YOUR GOALS.
Let’s face it…There is never enough time in the day. But if you want something bad enough, you will make time. You will make it a priority.
So stop making excuses and searching for something that doesn’t exist. Instead get started working toward your goals before the New Year. Why not go into this New Year already moving forward? Why not WORK HARD and MAKE TIME for what you want!?!
Because if you want to succeed, if you want to make this next year an even better one, you will have to find the time to work hard at your goals. No Ifs, Ands or Butts about it!
How long will it take me to reach my goals?
I hate this question.
To me this question means, “I don’t like to work hard and have given up in the past and want you to have some secret that will make me better almost instantly.”
Do you think I am reading too much into this statement.
Not one bit.
When people ask this question, it means they really aren’t ready to commit to all of the hard work, dedication and time it will take to reach their goals. They aren’t willing to sacrifice or really change anything that they are currently doing.
I never ask how long will it take me. I sometimes think, “Ok how long should this take me or what is a realistic time-table.” But never how long will it take me.
The more I think about the question, the more I hate it.
And usually I respond back to the person, “Well how hard are you willing to work and how dedicated will you stay to the program when I’m not there.”
I usually get a whole bunch of “Uhmmmm” and “I don’t know” and “How hard will it be?”
Honestly, that to me means that you won’t achieve your goals unless we change your attitude.
Accomplishing any goal is HARD WORK. It usually takes time and a clearly laid out plan. It will involve a lot of ups and downs and times when you want to just give up.
I mean do you ever really achieve your goal and go “Well I’m done. Back to not working out and eating badly.”
I most certainly hope not!
Most health and fitness goals don’t have a set end date. They are ongoing.
So please don’t ask how long it will take to get you to your goals. Set a goal and lay out a plan. Work each and every day toward that goal in some small way.
And guess what?
You’ll get there when you get there but you’ll feel good every day knowing that you are working toward something that matters. You’ll feel good knowing that you were willing to sacrifice and work hard!
It’s hard work…period.
I’ll never tell you it is easy to stick to a healthy lifestyle. I’ll never tell you it is easy to lose weight or hit a new lifting PR.
Because guess what? IT ISN’T!
It’s all hard work.
It’s hard committing the time and energy to eating well and working out intensely. It’s hard to stay committed to a process that can sometimes be slow and frustrating full of ups and downs.
But who wants to work hard!?! I know if I didn’t have to I wouldn’t!
I would love if there was a diet pill or supplement out there that would make me healthy, fit and strong instantly! I would love to eat pizza and ice cream every single day!
But there isn’t an easy way out.
It’s hard work period that will get you where you want to be.
And it’s a constant struggle. There are days, weeks or even months when it is easier to commit and stay committed. But then there are those days, weeks or even months when you feel like you just don’t have one bit of self-control.
I know how hard it can be. It isn’t always easy for me either! I have those days, weeks and even months where I just don’t want to care about my health, how I look or how my training is going.
There are just those times where I would rather binge on ice cream and sit on my couch and do nothing. There are those days when I get stressed and just don’t care. There are those days when I would rather celebrate and indulge than pick out a healthy option or go to the gym.
Heck there are those days where I eat everything and anything in sight. I’m even famous (among my friends) for the day where I gained 12lbs after a binge!
I understand how difficult it can be! But I also know how worth it all the hard work truly is!
I wish I had a solution for the ups and downs, but I don’t. There will always be ups and downs.
BUT if you set clear goals and map out a plan, you are going to have way more ups than downs AND you are going to see all of your hard work TRULY pay off as quickly as it possibly can!
I know I’ve harped on “planning” recently, but it is just so essential! And a big part of planning is goal setting.
Just think…what will make you work harder, a vague desire to be “healthy” or a goal of losing 25lbs by August with an average of 2lbs lost per week?
I would think the second goal would be more motivating because it is specific, broken down into long and short-term goals, and has an end date.
As cheesy as it sounds, there is something to setting S.M.A.R.T. goals – Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.
- Specific – A specific goal answers these six question: Who is involved? What do I want to accomplish. Where do I want to accomplish it (identify a location)? In what time frame will I complete it (establish a time frame)? What are some requirements and constraints? Why do I want to accomplish this goal (specific reasons, purposes and benefits)? Setting specific goals helps you outline exactly what it will take to reach your goals in the desired time frame.
- Measurable – Establish criteria to measure your progress and set target dates. Measuring your progress helps you stay on track. For one, seeing results will help encourage you to continue. And two, short-term goals with measurable results help keep you motivated to succeed every single day.
- Attainable – Almost any goal is attainable if you develop the attitudes, abilities, skills and financial capacity to reach them. You just need to plan out your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out your plan.
- Realistic – If you are WILLING and ABLE to accomplish a goal, it is realistic. Also, a goal can be both high and realistic. Actually, high goals may be even easier to reach than low goals since low goals supply less motivation.
- Timely – You must set out a timeframe in which you will accomplish your goals. An “end date” creates a sense of urgency and motivation. Also, you need to let yourself know that there will be a time when you can have your favorite food again or skip a workout just because you are tired. You need to know that at some point you will get some sort of “break” from your plan.
By setting goals that follow this criteria, not only are you more likely to accomplish them, but you will also build your self-image. You see yourself as worthy of these goals, and develop the traits and personality that allow you to possess them.
Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals will help you realize that your plan is doable!
So yea…It’s all hard work.
BUT by setting great goals and creating a plan to achieve them, you will find that not only does the hard work seem less daunting, but that you also achieve greater success.
Man Bicep 