Josh Hillis is the kind of guy who makes you smarter just by reading him. The following quote is in an article he wrote about Brie Larson, who plays the superhero Captain Marvel in the movies. (You can and should read the whole article here.
"The irony is that people tend to get better results when they’re focused on process based goals (like doing the work) instead of outcome goals (like looking a certain way). Paradoxically, people who over-value the end result often get disheartened and quit, when they don’t hit their goals fast enough, or maybe miss a milestone on the way to their goals. They get thrown by each and every (normal) bump in the road.
On the flip-side, people get awesome results when they simply focus on doing the work. When people just focus on doing the work:
- The do more work
- They do higher quality work
- They do more consistent work
If you just focus on doing the work in the gym every day, you’ll get stronger.
Also, you might find it to be more empowering, more fun, and have a drastically more positive impact on your relationship to your body. Instead of being entirely focused on some idealized body standard, your gym work can simply be an expression of being the kind of person you want to be."
When we take hold of this concept it changes everything. When we can stop trying to live up to some 'ideal" (usually perceived not real) and simply focus on "doing the work", training becomes more enjoyable. When we accept that results aren't instant and we are in it for the long haul, training really is more fun. When we look at exercise as a practice, rather than something we are instantly going to be good at, training is a lot more enjoyable.
Think about it this way. You don't earn a black belt in martial arts until you have practiced for years. And nobody walks into the dojo thinking they will earn theirs in 3 months. We need to have the same mindset in the gym. Lifting takes skill, which requires practice. Training your body to get into the right position, create proper tension, produce stability and mobility in the right places. Practice. Practice. Practice.
And it's so worth it. There is genuine joy when due to your repeated efforts everything comes together and it feels easy. When the chin goes over the bar, when the Turkish Get-Up flows smoothly, when the bar loaded with more than your bodyweight breaks off the floor in one smooth motion. It's poetry.
Results will come. But as Josh says, to be successful we need to do more work (practice), which in turn creates higher quality work, and we need to do it consistently enough to maintain our skill and flow.
Bumps in the road do happen. But don't let them throw you into the ditch. Slow down, correct the wheel, and get back on course.
Let's make it happen together!
Coach Dean