18/09/2023
Success in fitness starts by understanding that you don't have to be perfect to reach your goals, you simply have to be on track most of the time and promise yourself that you'll never give up.
You can prepare your mind by accepting that you're going to be off track at times. You can even reframe it as part of succeeding - making mistakes is how you learn. You didn't fail if you took a wrong turn, you've only failed if you quit - or as Napoleon Hill wrote, "Temporary defeat is not permanent failure."
Everyone gets off track - it's part of being human. I get off track too. But as a serious student of both fitness and psychology, I've figured out how to almost instantly get back on track if I slip. Fitness is one area where I don't struggle much, in large part because of mastering this one habit.
The secret is getting back on track quickly.
There's an old Turkish proverb, "No matter how long you've been traveling down the wrong road, turn back." That's the truth - it's never too late to get back on track. On the other hand, the longer you're off, the more time you waste, the more ground you lose, the worse you feel, and the harder it is to start again.
The key to succeeding despite setbacks is to stay aware of where you are, and the second you realize you're off course, instantly make the decision to get back on track, and take action on that decision as soon as you can.
"How specifically, do you get back on track quickly?"
The short twitter/Instagram/Facebook version is: tell yourself that you're only one workout or one meal away from being on course again.
You don't have to make up miles and miles of lost ground to be on track again. You're not days or weeks away from being on track again - you're only one small step away.
Eat the next healthy meal and your diet is back on track. Do the next scheduled workout, and your training is back on track.
Put that one piece of advice to work, and you're on your way again.
