“The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you’re willing to pay the price.” – Vince Lombardi
This is absolutely true! Another true statement is that every journey demands a first step. Sometimes, it’s a small one, like dipping a toe into cold water. Other times, people make bold leaps, disregarding caution and taking several risks (and facing setbacks from injuries). Regardless, that initial step is undoubtedly the most significant. However, there are subsequent steps, a third step, and so on. Each one presents its own challenges!
The issue with setting a goal and maintaining it isn’t taking that first step. It’s the steps that follow that first step. Starting a new routine, goal, and activity is easy. But it’s when I reach week two and beyond that I let everything else get in the way. Success requires effort! There’s no magic solution.
The mind makes choices we direct it to make. To illustrate, imagine yourself alone in your home, sitting on the couch, engrossed in your favorite game or TV show after completing a grueling 50-mile or 100-mile race. You’re so sore that you struggle to move. Suddenly, you realize you’ve forgotten to grab your favorite beverage to accompany those chips (I know, a poor choice, so let’s switch it up to Kale Chips), and now face a dilemma. Since you’re the only one home, you have two options: either watch your game while savoring a delicious beverage you’ve just made yourself or continue to sit there, wishing you had the energy to get up from your comfortable position and get yourself one.
I believe that if you genuinely want to drink your favorite beverage while watching your game, you’ll find the motivation to get up off the couch and open a bottle of refreshing goodness. So, if you can muster the energy to get up and grab a beer, what’s preventing you from stepping out of your comfort zone and pursuing greatness and health? Ultimately, both actions require a strong desire on your part. To achieve your desired level of success, you must want it intensely enough to take action.
As mentioned earlier, the second most significant obstacle I face in achieving my goal is overcoming the initial step. Sometimes, I take a tentative step into the water and immediately recoil, screaming and flailing my arms (shaking uncontrollably), declaring it too cold and impossible to enter. However, usually, the initial shock of the cold subsides within a minute or so, allowing me to adjust to the temperature and realize that I’m swimming in a warm, refreshing pool, soaking up the sunshine. But I wouldn’t know this unless I muster the courage to grit my teeth and plunge in.
Long-term health is a significant commitment. However, it becomes challenging to achieve if something is truly worth it. It requires effort and dedication, and unfortunately, many people, including myself, have become complacent. Society has ingrained a culture of laziness, where individuals hardly exert their own physical and mental energy. In fact, many people feel as though life has been handed to them on a silver platter.
Pain and fatigue are merely side effects of being the best professional athlete. As long as they persist in battling these challenges, they will continue to emerge victorious. This is the very foundation of their success and the reason behind their sustained dominance. Nobody achieves gold by idly sitting on their butts, munching on potato chips (or kale chips). Instead, we often find ourselves lamenting, “I wish I could,” rather than taking proactive steps to make it happen. If you aspire to be thin and healthy, dedicate yourself to rigorous training. If you dream of starting your own business, invest your time and resources wisely. And if you desire to own a house, work diligently towards your goal.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to have their lives handed to them, and even then, it appears that people aren’t content. They seem to be missing something, and I believe they’re missing the pride and satisfaction that comes from knowing they gave their all and paid off every debt in life through hard work, dedication, and sacrifice. Nothing can diminish that kind of satisfaction. I know many friends who filed for bankruptcy while I endured 12 years of hardship, but I managed to make it on my own, without any pity or outside assistance. It was all about hard work! Now, I need to focus on my health, just like I did with my finances. I’ll get it under control through hard work and long-term effort.
So, I reminded myself that I don’t always have to dive headfirst into the deep end. I need to get my feet wet before I can learn how to swim. So, I’ve been doing solid workouts for a few weeks now. I’m sore, my breathing is really difficult, and I don’t feel good at all. But this is the first step. I need to focus and get through it, and then I can address these issues when I’m in a better place. As long as no one, including me, listens, I’ll be just fine!
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