Mind Over Matter

Success in fitness is a mind game. Plain and simple. Control your mind or it will control you. You need to learn to use many different techniques in order to achieve this but this is the key success. I consider myself blessed with a positive mindset and a never quit attitude but it was not always this way. It took yours of small successes in life and fitness to believe that anything was possible. And believe me anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

Two recent stories of personal courage, sacrifice, and determination have caught my attention in recent months.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/34325633/ns/today-today_people/
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21020571/ns/us_news-life/

Both of these stories show that we can push our minds to incredible feats when and if we need to or want too. These people found them selves in extraordinary circumstances and had to reach new heights in the mind game. This may be cases of extreme examples however when put into context they show that we can achieve what we never thought possible. A saying that I always believed to be true is that the mind will give up long before the body. The keys to controlling the mental aspect of training is the key in the pursuit of perfection.

First you need to believe what you are doing is possible. Millions of people have run marathons so to say you "can't" run a mile is not true. Second you need to accept challenges and commit to hitting them head on regardless of how tough it may seem. Know that if you enter a race or do a workout that those same things have been accomplished by many others before you. Next you need to visualize success and what that feels like. Go on Youtube and search extraordinary feats that will motivate you for future workouts. Finally realize that what you are doing is the right thing and that while you will not live for ever you want to live your life healthy and happy.

I truly believe that most people do not accomplish what they can in life because they don't believe in themselves. Take challenges that are put before you, and extend beyond your comfort zone to tackle ones that you put before yourself.

“[Luke:] I can’t believe it. [Yoda:] That is why you fail.”