BORED? THEN CHALLENGE YOURSELF TO GROW
Have you ever told yourself “I’ve been hitting the gym for almost a year already but it seems I don’t see any improvement? No muscle growth. Parang walang epekto.”
Sometimes the reason why there is no progress is because we don’t do our homework. We don’t study. We don’t fight for excellence. We have the tendency to be mediocre. Ok na yan! Pwede na yan! We say to ourselves, “We’ve always done it that way.” We do not want to rock the boat already. We take things “as it is.” We don’t challenge our assumptions and reflect on how we should do things now. “I’m too old to change!” We have that excuse that we cannot change anymore as if age is an excuse for not pursuing growth. We refuse to evolve and recreate ourselves.
Mediocrity also makes us lose our childlike curiosity. Our sense of wonder and discovery is replaced with cynicism and apathy. “Been there, done that.” “What else is new?”
It even happens in the gym. Nutrient timing, fast twitch and slow twitch muscle fibers, anabolic and catabolic. Maybe some of these terms are new to you. Three years ago, I was working out at a gym near our home almost everyday but I never heard these words before. Para ano? Basta buhat lang, ok na yan!
Nothing seems to amaze us anymore. It makes us feel we have all the answers. We acquire the Know-It-All attitude and feel that we do not need to learn since we know the answers already. This is in contrast with what Lance Armstrong tells us in his book It’s Not About the Bike. It tells us how he approached his training. He said:
“I kicked out. I tackled the problem of the Tour as if I was in math class, science class, chemistry class and nutrition class all rolled into one. I did computer calculations and balanced my body weight and my equipment weight with the potential of velocity of the bike in various stages – trying to get the equation that would get me faster to the finish line that anybody else. I kept careful computer graphs of my training rides, calibrating the distances, mileages and thresholds. Even eating became mathematical. I measured my food intake. I kept a small scale in the kitchen and weighed the portion of pasta and bread. Then, I calculated my mileages and my calorie intake so I knew precisely how much to eat each day – how many calories to burn so that the amount coming in would be less than my output and I would lose weight.”
Greg Anderson in the 22 Non-negotiable Laws of Wellness will say everyone: young, old, rich, poor, healthy, diseased – absolutely everyone has the capacity to change, to learn, to evolve and to grow.
Challenge yourself to grow. Challenge yourself towards excellence.
People who are rich in every sense of the word understand that life is a learning experience. In 1951, Jack Lalanne used television to spread his message to get up, exercise and feel better to millions of viewers spanning 34 years. At age 51, he successfully swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco – handcuffed. At age 60 and 65, he did it again. And at the age of 70, he pulled 70 boats with 70 people in them while again being shackled in hand.
So, what did America’s fitness expert say during his 90th birthday?
Jack Lalanne said, “Never be satisfied. Ever. You know I’ve won all these contests and I broke all kinds of world records. I’ve been very successful financially but I’ve never been satisfied.”
The minute you get satisfied, you get complacent. Understand fitness from the neck up. Pursue smart fitness.
Life Coaching Infinity’s “Smart Fitness ” is available at Planet Infinity, the first and only wellness facility in the Philippines. Visit us at the 4th Floor No.77 Mother Ignacia Avenue, Quezon City. Office (632)4107926. Facsimile (632)3762044. This article is the property of Planet Infinity. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution or exhibition violates applicable laws with severe penalties. All rights reserved. © |
