After coaching, training, guiding and advising people seeking better health, fitness or body-composition transformations, I have seen a pattern develop in those that succeed and those who do not.
FIGHTING THE DAILY BATTLES
Those who are successful are able to turn off their brain, so to speak, tune out their thoughts and drive forward, fighting internal negativity. Those who are unsuccessful and “fall off the wagon” so to speak, get sucked into mental quicksand so deep they can’t fight their way out.
In other words, if you want to end each day with a win and get closer to reaching your goals, you must get out of your head.
There is no doubt you will have days you could have done better. You are human and life is life, with unexpected obstacles and unforeseen issues that arise. Everyone, even the most successful athletes, movie stars, authors and Pulitzer prize winners, has at some point in their life felt like they may not be up to the task, or tasted defeat or felt like a failure and like giving up. There is not one human being on this Earth that doesn’t know what that feels like and had to battle the negativity in their own minds.
(SELF) MENTAL/VERBAL ABUSE
Although the thoughts and feelings of defeat are present (“maybe I should just quit” or “why am I even doing this?”) you are not your thoughts and feelings.
You are your actions. If you sink into the quicksand of defeat and let it consume you and stop pressing forward, you will then be defeated. But if you choose to fight, get out of your head, don’t listen to the thoughts of being a failure, loser, or whatever other silent verbal abuse you give yourself more frequently than your probably realize, you will not be defeated.
Crazy as it may seem, the most difficult and frustrating battles you’ll face when trying to reach your health and fitness goals (or with anything for that matter) are the daily internal battles with your own self.
HOW TO GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD
This is a very difficult and delicate situation that will be different for everyone. Personally, I need to be left alone so that I can tune out everything else, focus, and dig deep to discover what I need to do to get out of the mental negative rut.
I know for other people they may find they need external support and motivation, maybe a long talk with a supportive, understanding friend or perhaps even a therapist. Sometimes it just takes a little bit of time to get past it, or it may take a long drive or a weekend retreat away somewhere to re-set and re-focus. Maybe taking a whole day to yourself to reflect on things would help, or attending some kind of motivational, religious or support group meeting or gathering would help.
Whatever approach you need to take to get out of your head, be honest with yourself and be good to yourself so that you can continue on your journey towards success!
