Almost everybody in the human race has faced something new and different. At this point we have a decision to make. Either to embrace the new and different thing or to walk around it and try to forget it. As life goes on we establish a pattern of taking on the difficult things that we know very little about or we become risk averse and we consistently avoid anything that presents itself as new and different….Most of the time out of fear. We fear what others will say or we fear how it might require change in us, or we fear that it might hurt us.
After the pattern of either being adventuresome or fearful is established inevitably somebody will identify this pattern and they will try to impart wisdom that they do not possess to get us to be like them. Again, this is a decision point.
In bodybuilding we get so regimented in the way we do things that anything different is disallowed. Same weight each time. Same sequence of exercises. Same number of reps. We don’t change because we are afraid to try something totally outside our comfort zones. Thus, though we are consistent with our workouts we get no real improvements. When we notice a lack of getting bigger or a lack of leanness —It’s time to change something and fear has to be set aside.
Conversely, in the gym we run across the guy who works out according to the newest and greatest podcast advice money can buy. Every work out is a new and better experience. They change so much that even the muscles have no predictability, they are stressed in new and weird ways. Alas! No real improvement in size or leanness occurs. But, the podcast warrior swears they are right….and they will tell you so. Like the bodybuilder who is driven by fear of change this guy is dying by a thousand cuts of newness and arrogance. It is time for a change.
In both cases we need help. That’s what coaches and trainers are for. They stand outside of us and guides us to better effort and behavior. Most of all they get us to decide what we want. Then comes the love/hate instruction from the coach to get us there. It is when we take control of where we want to go is when we develop confidence and assurance inside ourselves to go in the right direction despite our adventuresome or fearful natures. It is here where we set the rudder of our life and journey and nobody else can do that for us. It is here that we learn to listen to our own selves, our own hearts, our soul’s longings. We change what we are doing wrong but nobody sets my end goals or dictates the direction of my life—but me!
Bottom Line: Change what you have to. Then the rest is yours to execute and win! Go get ’em! This is your life and there isn’t another soul in the world who can do it for us and no other person sets my bar.
Six Pack and Senior 