The DANGER Of Positive Thinking

I believe positive thinking is dangerous. 

Let me explain…

If I always visualise a perfect fitness goal

Let’s say, achieving a HUGEEE male physique like Schwarzenegger…

6’4”

17 stone of pure muscle and 0% body fat

Then, this is dangerous for me to even contemplate

Because the reality is, I probably won’t achieve that. 

(I definitely won’t push my 5’ 10” frame to grow to 6’ 4”!!)

BUT WAIT! I hear you cry….

Isn’t it better to shoot high when setting a goal?

Certainly

I absolutely 100% agree that in life you should set big goals

But in fitness, you must realise that a big goal is painful to achieve.

So in the process of pushing for that goal

If I am not ready to commit to the pain

The commitment

The discipline

The sacrifice

The boredom

The criticism

The self-doubt

The fear

….then I will give up on that goal.

I’ll blame myself

I’ll wonder why other people are in shape yet do LESS training than me

I’ll get bitter, twisted and jealous of other people’s bodies

I’ll eat myself into oblivion and cry that I’ll never get the body I want…..

STOP.

This is normal. 

We have all felt like this from time to time.

My point is, this comes from POSITIVE THINKING.

From believing that we can achieve ANY goal.

Stop being positive

Start being realistic.

If you know you will only have time to eat 3 meals a day, why the flip are you planning to eat 6?

If you can’t make it to the gym 6 days per week, don’t try starting a program that demands you do!

If you aren’t surrounded by supportive people, don’t openly claim that you’re going to drop all the weight and be shredded by summer

Be realistic

Know who you are and what you are capable of FIRST

Then set your goal.

Bottom line is:

Set BIG goals for sure

But make sure they are realistic FOR YOU

I’d much rather you lose 5 stone and be happy

Than try to look like Wolverine and give up, never to try fitness again.

Better to achieve 90% of a realistic goal

Than 0% of a stupidly big goal. 

CASE IN POINT:

I spoke to one of my clients the other day

She was struggling to see any change in her body

Despite me showing her ourproven, scientific nutrition plan

Bottom line is: it wasn’t working for her.

So we dug into the issue

Found she was under-eating in the daytime and then binge eating in the evening

She was struggling to stay awake in the afternoon

She was getting frustrated and CLOSE TO GIVING UP

WHY?

Because we had gone TOO BIG with the goal

Look, this is my job and I’m openly saying that even I get goal setting wrong.

So what did I do for this lady?

I asked her when she woke up >> we scheduled a protein shake at this time. Realistic. 

I found out if she could get a protein rich snack in about 3 hours later >> she could! Realistic. 

I advised her to buy a healthy ready meal to microwave at lunch time>> she was well excited for this! …Realistic actions, you see?

Add another protein rich snack in the afternoon

And a sensible meal for tea

And you can almost guarantee she’ll get BETTER results on that simple plan than if we shot for the stars in the first place

…..which we did…..which actually failed…which kinda proves my point again…..

But here’s one final example to drill this home….

I am a good coach

I know for a fact that hill sprints would get me in better shape

But I know that I hate hill sprints

So I don’t ever program them into my life

Instead I do more of what I like: LIFTING WEIGHTS

I’m in better shape from enjoying lifting weights and DOING it

Than from hating hill sprints and NOT DOING them.

STOP BEING POSITIVE

KNOW WHO YOU ARE

START BEING REALISTIC

Set goals and actions that you’ll actually do. 

Your body and your mind will thank you for it.