This could be related to anything…. career, finances, relationships, etc. But, for the purpose of this article let’s just stick with “health, fitness, and body image”.
Bottom line, the effort needs to be there. If you are overweight, deconditioned, injury prone, or have any symptom of metabolic syndrome – it didn’t happen overnight, therefore don’t get impatient if you’re not on the cover of a fitness magazine in a month.
People who exercise more than 3-4x per week are often called “obsessed” – where the proper name should be “relentless” or “dedicated”. In a society that is becoming more of the “misery loves company” crowd. Unfit people tend to put down those who are trying to better themselves because it makes them feel guilty that they aren’t making an effort to eat better and exercise more.
So, who are “you”? Who do you want to be? Hopefully, it’s the same person. If it’s not, what are you going to do about it? Become “dedicated and relentless” or sit by blaming your genetics and hope for a magic pill to be invented?
The dedicated know what they want; they make a plan, go get it, and most importantly – follow through. They have passion, and with passion comes consistency, and with consistency comes results.
What separates the dedicated from the weak is that the dedicated welcome discipline and a challenge.
Life getting tough? Work hard? Stressed? That’s exactly when the dedicated train. Rather than take the easy way out, or just sit and complain or cancel a workout. They channel their energy into something productive…..and by doing so reap the rewards.
They sweat, they grind, they reap the endorphin-high from exercising. When it’s all over they can see the more optimistic side of whatever it is they were facing. In addition, the stress relieving benefits of exercise are extremely underrated.
Working hard in life makes people more resilient. Complaining, wallowing in self-pity, and blaming others in the face of difficulty gets people addicted to being a victim.
When life gets hard, work hard.
Physical strength and mental strength go hand in hand. They reinforce one another. The dedicated know that personal responsibility is the foundation of mental strength. It’s grit. It’s what gets them through hardships and makes them tougher as a result.
So, when the dedicated experience adversity they look for ways to become champions over their circumstances rather than victims. The weak-minded do the opposite.
Are the dedicated “obsessed”? I don’t think so, but everyone one is obsessed with something. Sports, video games, shopping, etc. – why not let it be your health?
Dedication isn’t about destructive behavior, ignoring priorities, being a bad father or husband, or unreliable employee to become healthier. It is about taking care of yourself in order to live better and serve others better.
You don’t have to sacrifice relationships or sanity in order to love working out and eating well. You just have to believe in your potential, hold yourself accountable, and trust in the process.
It will require strength and discipline to resist the temptations of sitting on the couch or eating bad food – but, that will result in a better version of you. And isn’t that the “you” you want to be?
