What’s Your Why?

Click the “Request Your Workout Plan” link in the menu for your personalized plan.

There are a lot of things that we want in life. Many of us aspire to have a lot of money, great bodies, a celebrity lifestyle, and/or a soulmate, etc. We all have different things that we want to attain. Why do some people reach their goals and live the life of their dreams, and others don’t even come close? In an earlier post I talked about how important it was to focus on the end result, and to never take your eye off the prize. For this post, we’re going to go a little bit deeper on what keeps you focused through the grind and distractions. My mentor Darren Hardy, CEO of Success magazine, says that it’s not about your will power whether you’ll push through tough times to reach your goals, but rather it’s WHY-power. Many of you never heard of this concept so let’s dive into detail. Take this scenario for example; you’re on a cliff, and you come across a burning bridge. On the other side of the bridge is a crispy 20 dollar bill waiting for you! Chances are you will not attempt to go across the bridge and put your life on the line for 20 dollars. Let’s change the circumstances. You’re on the same cliff and encounter the same burning bridge, but now you’re children are on the other end of that bridge! Will you cross it now? Chances are, if you’re a loving parent, you will do whatever you have to do. Even if that means giving your own life to save your children. The same scenario as far as risk and danger but 2 different results. This is an example of your WHY-power. When your “why” is strong enough, you’ll find a way, no matter what, unless it kills you. This is a very common principle taught by the self-help and success gurus, but I want to take this concept and apply it to your fitness goals. Over the years in the industry I see people all the time who say they are going to workout, change their diet, and take better care of themselves. Most of these same people quit very early in the journey. I can guarantee these people didn’t have a strong “why” for getting involved in a fitness regimen. It was rather something to try out for them, pretty much a hobby. A lot of times I talk with older clients at the gym, and they tell me what got them started working out regularly was a health scare from the doctor. They developed a strong “why” for taking their health more seriously. A health scare isn’t the only “why” to motivate those to dedicate to a healthy lifestyle. A client of mine has undergone a huge transformation here recently. I’ll have him share his testimonial in a future post. Essentially he’s down over 30 pounds in 3 months, making huge gains in the weight room, and looking like a completely different person. Not only does he look different but he has adopted some strict habits. He measures out his food, eats lean meats and veggies 4 times a day, hits the gym 4 times a week, limits his alcohol consumption, and stopped smoking. Basically all the things needed to make this transformation happen for the long term. We were talking the other week and he said, “you must’ve said something that stuck with me.” He’s tried programs in the past, but never dedicated himself like this. Now, I would love take the credit as a miracle worker (lol), but in my opinion, this time he had a “why” that he didn’t have before. Before he started this journey he welcomed in a new born son. He was ecstatic. This was his 2nd child in 2 years. I remember seeing him post a picture on instagram that captioned, “I’m doing this for my daughter (his first child), this will be my last cigarette.” Now with 2 kids, a son, who I know he will have playing sports, he now has a “why” that’s bigger than ever. He wants to be healthy, in shape, and a great example to his kids! That’s a really significant “why”. I couldn’t be more proud of my good friend because he took my program, dedicated himself to it, and is now that example that his kids will be proud to look up to. In the past, if you’ve had trouble sticking with a workout routine it’s not too late to get back on track. You just need to do some soul searching and figure out a deep reason why you’re going to do this and stick with it. Everybody is different and they will have different reasons unique to them. The specific reason isn’t important just as long as it’s deep enough to keep you motivated. Some examples are: I want to be healthy so I can play with my kids. I don’t want to wind up under a doctor’s care or on prescription drugs. Diseases like type 2 diabetes run in my family and I don’t want that to happen to me. I really want to fit into my old suit/dress. Looking better will give me the self-confidence I’ve been lacking. I’ll attract more women if I have a better body. I want to play in the NFL, make a lot of money, and be set for life. (My personal why when I trained to play football) Those are just a small few. Sit down with a journal and start writing your reasons why you want to do this and don’t stop until you find that one that drives the burning desire inside of you!

Click the “Request Your Workout Plan” link in the menu for your personalized plan.

Author: James Carter

Credentials
Masters of Science – Exercise Science
NASM – Certified Personal Trainer
NASM – Certified Performance Enhancement Specialist
NASM – Certified Corrective Exercise Specialist
NASE – Speed and Explosion Specialist