The primary principle in my class “Success 101” is that excuses are the death of any true progress.
When I look around the gym world or the athletics/natural bodybuilding world or the world at large, it’s filled with stories of untapped potential. And what keeps the potential of most people from being tapped into is excuses!
I know personally how excuses are self-limiting. I speak from experience because I was a story of untapped potential. I remember some of the lame excuses I made for my lack of performances in high school and then as a sprinter at West Chester University. And it’s downright embarrassing when I think about it!
When I analyze those past situations now, the only thing that was stopping me from becoming who I eventually became was me. It wasn’t the coaches, the schools, or the weather. It was the man in the mirror.
Understanding the primary principle of Success 101 is not complicated when you look in the mirror.
Witness
In my career as a fitness professional, I have heard and witnessed the self-sabotaging effects that excuses will have. I’ve heard the common excuses to not work out. They go a little something like this:
“I’m too old.”
“I’m too young.”
“It’s too hot outside.”
“It’s too cold outside.”
“The couch feels too good.”
“I had a long day.”
“The Eagles game is on.”
“That’s for young people.”
“I’ve got bad knee/shoulder/back/etc.”
Many people wallow in excuses as to why they are out of shape or in bad health. The excuses act as a defense mechanism that allows us to think we are escaping accountability. But the reality is that the excuses just push us farther away from our goals.
The answer to improving your health, body, or athleticism is getting started today. Just the action of starting today will change your health trajectory.
What if you dropped the excuses and you got started on your health journey today? What if today was your day 1 and you were consistent with your diet over the next year? And what if I told you that if you were a beginner that 60-90 minutes a week of following a basic strength training program and pumping some iron would improve all of your health markers over the next year?
You would be a stronger, fitter, and healthier person by this time next year. You would look better and more importantly, you would feel better. And that is a guaranteed fact!
Conclusion
The key message in Success 101 is simple. Your success will begin when your excuses end.
I’ll holla at you next time.
The People’s Trainer,
Fitman
