Image by: A.D Wheeler
By Jake Bradshaw
2014 is your year. Now is the best time to get back in the gym and get your body in shape, but for those who are entering the game with a new start, it can be a bit hard to find motivation. Well, you’re not alone. Even some of the greatest athletes in the world have experienced a lack of drive. Take a look at some of their advice:
#1) “We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” – Jesse Owens, USA track and field gold medalist.
We all have the power to achieve anything we set our minds to, but we have to make a willing decision to do so. Nothing is going to come easy, and there is never a destination to strive towards – it’s all in the journey. Fitness doesn’t have to be a struggle, and to make it less painful, all it takes is a conscious need.
#2) “Nothing is impossible. With so many people saying it couldn’t be done, all it takes is an imagination.” – Michael Phelps, USA gold medalist in swimming.
The mind is the most powerful thing we have because it is essentially the fuel for our own physiological being. If we think something is hard, it will eventually become so – and vice versa. Never enter a new routine or workout regiment with a biased opinion on how difficult it is. Clear your mind, and things will be much easier.
#3) “If you don’t have confidence, you’ll always find a way not to win.” – Carl Lewis, USA gold medalist in track and field.
Self-belief can make or break your entire results. Unless you are confident that you can achieve anything you set out to do, without listening to the negativity of others, you will make it further than you had ever expected. You are your biggest cheerleader.
#4) “You have to train you mind like you train your body.” – Bruce Jenner, USA medalist in the decathlon.
Your mind must be as strong as your body, and the best way to do it is by training them simultaneously. If your body is getting strained, but your mind isn’t, you’re in for a painful journey. Allow your mind to run ahead of your body, and let your body catch up to it. This way, you’re goals and dreams are always in front of you.
#5) “I didn’t set out to beat the world; I just set out to do my absolute best.” – Al Oerter, gold medalist in the disc throw.
No one is going to be perfect. Even the men who seemingly have the perfect body sees something wrong with them. Perfection is a never-ending judgment, and it hardly is ever up to our satisfaction. The only thing you can do is to be your best.
#6) “I think the way to become the best is to just have fun.” – Shaun White, gold medalist in snowboarding.
When you’re having fun, the work doesn’t seem like work. Finding joy in working out can be the hardest thing for men achieve, especially if they’re new to the game. The trick is doing what you love to do. If you don’t, you’ll eventually find an emotional pattern that can turn into a dangerous habit, ultimately prohibiting you from finding the joy again.
#7) “If you always put limit on everything you do, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.” – Bruce Lee, actor and martial artist.
You are in control of your own limits. Always. No one sets them for you – we define them. If someone close to you says it’s nearly impossible for you to achieve your goals, never listen. You’re the one who knows your body best, and if you think your goals are reachable, guess what. They are!