Dear Self,
Please do me one favour:
Don’t quit, keep going.
You are five weeks into your plan.
And you don’t really care about the scale.
But it would be nice to see more than one measly pound of progress this week. I get it.
But that’s the thing – the beginner’s luck weight loss has passed – and the real work begins.
Don’t quit.
I know you’re fixated on the number, but…
Your strength is up, right?
Your waist measurements are down, right?
Your clothes fit better, right?
You are getting compliments, right?
You are making progress!!
The problem is, most people quit at this point.
From The Alchemist book I’m reading: “Before a dream is realized, the world tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this so we can master the lessons learned”
But it’s at that point most people give up.
One ‘dies of thirst just when the palm trees have appeared on the horizon’
Every journey begins with a bit of beginner’s luck (that initial weight loss), but every journey ends with you being severely tested.
The last 10 lbs will take 5x as much effort as the first 10 lbs. But by then the effort won’t seem nearly as insurmountable because you’ve adapted.
My clients who make incredible transformations aren’t doing it over night. They’re focused only on the present. Putting in a good workout today, eating mostly healthy choices, and doing it all over again tomorrow. They wake up months later in a completely new frame of mind with a dramatic weight change.
Nothing overly sexy about it, but the reward is there for the taking.
Here’s a quote from Jeff Haden that sums it up nicely:
“Everyone says they go the extra mile. Almost no one actually does. Most people who go there think, “Wait… no one else is here… why am I doing this?” and leave, never to return.
That’s why the extra mile is such a lonely place.
That’s also why the extra mile is a place filled with opportunities.”
Remember, the weight on the scale is just one indicator of a job well done.
Here are other rewards to making a lifestyle change, direct from my clients:
“I had coffee with a friend I haven’t seen in over a year, and he was amazed: ‘DUDE! You’re looking toned.’ That felt great to hear because you don’t always notice the changes yourself.”
“When I first started training with you my resting heart rate was very high. Close to 80 I believe. After 5 months of training with you my resting heart rate is on the low side of ideal. Hearing medical staff tell me I must be athletic because my heart rate was so low was a damn good feeling.”
“I notice more speed in hockey. I had two breakaways last game, which is not usual for me at all.”
“I ran into some running friends yesterday while out for my morning run that I haven’t seen for a couple of months and they complimented the change in my upper body. I guess when I look at my self everyday I don’t notice the change as much.”
“My wife grabbed my bicep last night and complimented the change in me. That’s the first validation I’ve got from her, and it was pretty cool to see.”
Do you want to add your quote above soon? Read my coaching program FAQ and then fill out the coaching application and we’ll see if we’re a fit to work together.
