(Written July, 2009... still 1000% relevant)
Last week, a client left the gym and text "I'm not seeing any results! What is wrong with me?!" I took a minute to respond, and in that minute I flashed back to several conversations about double cheeseburgers, or drinking too much, or I'm too tired to work out or do I really have to run and I replied, "If you want to feel great everyday... and if you want to look great everyday... you have to put in great work everyday!"
Then I thought about it later and I said "great?" Sometimes great isn't good enough, we want to feel phenomenal everyday! And I placed that quote on my Boot Camp flier "Too feel phenomenal... too look phenomenal... you have to put in phenomenal work." There are no days off. Maybe a little cheat snack once or twice a week but no days off. Every workout, every cardio session, every meal, nearly every single moment adds up to something greater than the actual moment, and none of it can be taken for granted. You cant cut a run short with a weak excuse then complain about not being prepared for a 5k, just like you cant skip an important work meeting to take a long lunch... somewhere down the line, it all adds up.
I wrote "To feel phenomenal..." first for a reason. For me, its the most important thing involved in training. If the workouts don't feel "right," if they don't make you feel better inside, if the running doesn't make you feel better about yourself for pushing further, then maybe you need to re-think your strategy. The whole purpose for getting in shape is to feel good... or great... or phenomenal! So if you don't feel it, something needs to change.
"To look phenomenal..." is deep within us even though sometimes we don't want to admit it. This is #2 because without that great "feel," you wont stick with it long enough to look good or great, so never mind phenomenal. I'd say 95% of us care very much about how we look in our clothing or what type of clothes we can wear, and this is often the only motivation people need to make changes in their diets, workouts or overall training programs and lifestyles. So again, put in phenomenal work!
Make it your goal to out-work, out-run, out-perform... the old you! Never mind the next person, you compete with and for yourself.
Good luck,
J
