At one time or another, we’ve all accomplished our short-term bodybuilding goals such as having a good day of training and eating properly. Those victories give us great feelings, don’t they? No matter how great that single event or day may be, one training session or one day of outstanding habits alone will not create an outstanding physique. When you can turn that one great day into a great week, that great week into a great month, and string together a series of great months, you begin to create the powerful force known as momentum. When you can harness the awesome power of momentum to help you in your bodybuilding efforts, the task of constructing an admirable body will suddenly seem incredibly easier. With the power of momentum working for you, the tasks that once seemed difficult to get yourself to do will become amazingly easy.
Most people never have the chance to experience the tremendous benefits created by momentum. Unfortunately, they give up hope, focus, and discipline. They are continually starting and stopping, starting and stopping, and starting and stopping again. Sure, they’ll eventually regenerate their enthusiasm and optimistically start again—only to stop when they perceive their challenges as too difficult to overcome. They see themselves as doing a lot of work—without seeing results they mistakenly believe should match their overestimated efforts. The longer and more often you do anything, the easier it will become.
Physically, you can condition your body to operate more efficiently when you eat the way you should and do so in timely intervals. In the gym, your neuromuscular coordination and training performance will improve over time when you consistently work intensely, intelligently, and efficiently. Mentally, doing the things over and over again that you know you should do to reach your goals—when you know you must do them—builds certainty and confidence. That attitude empowers you with the belief that you will succeed despite any setbacks, obstacles, or challenges that may stand in your way. A critical stipulation for making the power of momentum work for you is that you exhibit faith, consistency, persistence, and perseverance.
Keeping the Pressure On Will Help You Become Your Very Best!
Too many times, I see those who are working hard to improve their physiques focus on their challenges—and not on their advantages. Instead of identifying what’s great about their particular circumstances, they choose to emphasize the factors that are especially difficult for them. “I can’t build muscle as easily as others because of my genetically skinny frame” or “I can’t get as lean as other people because I have a very slow metabolism” are perspectives frustrated trainers choose to adopt. These same individuals could just as easily say, “I’m so fortunate to have the ability to lose body fat quickly and easily. When I discover the strategies to pack on more muscle—watch out!” or “Unlike a lot of other people, I can gain muscle size efficiently. I may have to diet longer and more strictly than others—but I can sure pack on the muscle mass!”
Why would anyone want to lessen the bodybuilding experience by focusing on his or her frustrations, challenges, or weak points? People do so in an effort to take some pressure off themselves. Nobody wants to work hard and fail. Nobody wants to set outrageous personal standards just to fall short of them. Nobody wants to be disappointed. If you can get yourself to believe that success or failure is not totally in your control, failure won’t be so painful. It’s not your fault, for heavens sake! By thinking this way, you’ve already cushioned yourself for the fall. You’ve already lowered your expectations.
Seek and you shall find. If you want to focus on all the people who have an easier time than you—you will find them. At the same time, if you look for examples of success among those who have had the same (or even more difficult) challenges as you—you will find them as well! Some people do have an easier time bodybuilding than you have. There’s no doubt about it. But in bodybuilding, as well as in life, it is all about being the very best you can be. Their particular situation has absolutely nothing to do with you becoming your personal best. Maybe you’ll never become the NPC Team Universe champion, but you could build 10 pounds of rock-solid muscle or lose 10 pounds of stubborn body fat if you were totally committed. Wouldn’t that make you happy? You bet it would!
Here’s another key to your bodybuilding success: You’ll never reach your goals unless you keep the pressure on yourself to strive for a higher level of achievement. Focusing on challenges you feel are not within your control is not the first step toward ultimate success. There are plenty of other areas within this complex passion for physique development that you can improve upon—trust me! Learning and improving is a never-ending process. In short, focus on what’s great about you, give yourself an empowering identity, keep the pressure on yourself, and strive to become the very best you can be.
