Have you ever sat and wondered how the hell some people seem to be able to just work out? Like, how can they always be so motivated? Surely they must be freaks of nature?
Well the cats out of the bag, the secret is secret no more. Those people you see on Instagram and Facebook don’t just win in the gym or kitchen. They start out by winning in their own mind. They have prepared themselves mentally for success, and nothing stands in their way.
As they say, the hardest part is just showing up, and this rings true in not only fitness, the idea of “just show up” can be attributed to the success of business owners, movie stars, singers, and a whole host of people who have reached and exceeded their goals.
Obviously due to our industry we see this mental battle ensuing on a regular basis. Most common for us is seeing people who recognise they want/need to make a change, however after reaching out for help, they just can’t force themselves to follow through or “just show up”.
We receive a lot of messages from people when they are mentally in the moment, and they’re sick and tired of just accepting the way it is. Unfortunately, after a few messages to and from, excuses kick in, and we never get to help them reach their goals.
If you’ve ever done this, I want to tell you, don’t worry about it. You are not alone, we’re all scared when it comes to stepping out of our comfort zones and into the unknown. I want you to know, when you’re ready, I’ll be here, and we will get you to where you want to be.
For now, you can start to change your life by changing your way of thinking. You can start today, in your own mind, and when you start to win the battle internally, you can start to unlock your full potential.
Here’s some quick tips to help you mentally prepare for success.
Focus on positive thoughts
Firstly, you need to banish all negative thoughts from your mind. Have you ever heard of the phrase ‘self-fulfilling prophecy?’ It’s a prediction that you make in your own mind, that through your own beliefs and behaviour, causes the prediction to come true.
This is because the way we think actively controls our attitudes and how we perceive things. If you tell yourself you can’t do something, you’re almost always right. It’s not fantasy or witchcraft, it’s just how we are as animals.
If you’ve ever met someone gloomy who always says things like “I have such bad luck”, “bad things always happen to me”, “I never catch a break”, their own negative thoughts actually cause this to become their own reality.
So how does this apply to fitness I hear you ask, well, think about it. If you make a conscious effort to shift your thoughts to positive thinking, you’ll spot opportunities where previously you only saw threats.
You’ll push yourself outside of your boundaries because you believe you can make it happen. You’ll speak to that new person as you don’t worry about rejection. You’ll actively change your life, and all through shifting your mentality.
This won’t be an overnight change, and it will take practice, however we’re sure you’ll agree, life’s too short to dwell in negativity.
Stay away from negative people
There are a whole bunch of people out there who don’t realise they are a victim of their own thoughts. As mentioned above, these types of people choose to view their lives through a negative filter.
You know who they are, they’re the type of people who’ll complain about heat in summer and the cold in winter, and if you ask them how they’re doing, they usually reply with “ugh, not good”.
These aren’t bad people, and they probably don’t even realise they are unconsciously choosing to lead a negative life. But, you’ll find if you spend time with them, their moods start to rub off on you.
Pretty soon you’ll find yourself joining in with their moans and groans. As they saying goes, you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with, and to be successful you need to surround yourself with others who think like you do.
Now recognising these negative influencers in your life is one thing, actually removing them, well that’s a whole different kettle of fish. They may be your close friends, your family members, or maybe even your colleagues, and letting go of them could prove difficult.
A great first step could be starting to limit the amount of time you actually spend listening to their negativity and take what they say with a pinch of salt. On the flip side, you could start to seek out those people who would add value to your life, and will bring with them plenty of positivity.
Separate yourself from your past
Separating yourself from what’s happened in your past could be one of the hardest things you ever do. After all, we are generally shaped as a product of our past experiences, and this makes us who we are today.
That being said, what every has happened in your past, doesn’t have to define who you are as a person. You can choose to let go of those negative experiences and transform your life. This isn’t an easy task to accomplish, and it’s sure to take a lot of time and practice, but letting go of the past is going to enable you to reach your new goals.
Once you let go, you’ll think more productively, feel more alive, won’t fall back into bad habits, and you’ll generally feel happier and more confident within yourself. It’s a mental weight that gets lifted and will empower you as you embark on a new journey to redefine yourself.
Whatever has happened, banish it from your mind, ignore past failures and let-downs, and let none of your past guide your future decisions.
Remove those chains weighing you down, your future is waiting.
We hope we’ve inspired you to think about your own mental preparedness, and we hope you’ll recognise areas in your own life where you can make positive changes. Setting yourself up for success in your own mind will empower you as you step into your new lifestyle.
If you’ve ever considered making a health/fitness change to your life, but haven’t managed to take that first step yet, get in touch with us either via the contact form below or through our Facebook, and we will try to support you as much as we can.
We want to help you succeed, only then do we win.