The Finish Line is Never the End!
The finish line is never the end. Whether you are losing weight, building muscle, working with a personal trainer, running a race, playing a sport, going for a job, or anything else that you are pursuing for a given period of time. If we look simply from a fitness perspective there is usually a goal you start with when you go to the gym. Assuming you hire a coach or talk to your friends you will have a goal in mind. (I want to lose 15 pounds, I want to gain 5 pounds of muscle, I want to bench 225 pounds) What happens when you achieve those goals?
Once you achieve the goal you may find yourself treading water in the bathtub wondering what your next goal will be or you may think it’s over and you have accomplished what you sought out to do. The truly elite people consistently look at their goals to determine how the goals will evolve every time they are achieved. Goals will change as your desires change and also as you age. I have found some of that to be true with me.
Back in 2003 I hurt my back which caused me to pause all fitness related activities with the exception of physical therapy for 18 months. During those 18 months I gained about fifty pounds. Now 2005 and fifty pounds heavier. Goal: Lose the fifty pounds. 18 months later, I lost the fifty pounds at the expense of some muscle tissue and over compensation with cardiovascular conditioning while under-eating. Now 2006. Goal: Gain thirty pounds of muscle. I gained the thirty pounds of muscle the correct way and it took me about two years. 2008, the end of a five year journey to get my body healthy, and change my body composition to where I wanted it to be after gaining fat, losing fat, and building muscle. That five year journey includes three long phases. That is an extreme example, many of you will have three phases every single year, but you get the point.
During that time there was no way of knowing how long it would take, I just kept taking one bite out of the apple at a time until I reached my goal. Every time I reached my goal I re calibrated and set a new intention. I spent that last ten or so years focused on maintaining muscle, but today I’m beginning to focus more on slow and consistent wealth creation and longevity so I can have a dignified retirement and live long enough to do all of the things I desire.
Let me share with you just a few secrets for crossing the finish line and continually accomplishing goals.
To achieve any goal it is imperative that you have an amazing support group.
-I had some awesome friends who ran with me, came to the house to play video games when my back was messed up, came to the gym with me, held me accountable with my eating, lifted me up when I was frustrated. There is nothing better than a good group of people around you pushing you to reach your goals. Life is not meant to be done alone. I would love to list each of you, but you know who you are!
I made sure that the person I married was someone who was going to grow with me.
-My wife works out far harder than I do and she is always pushing to be better with fitness and nutrition. (I have more of a dose specific training approach and she loves the push as hard as she can.) She is always trying new recipes and always inspiring me to continue pursuing my goals & dreams.
Avoid the negativity trap.
-Sometimes you need to be careful with whom you share your goals. Anyone who tells you that you can’t do something needs to be eradicated from your life. It may be a granite pill to swallow but one negative person will squash the positive of three people every single time. Get them away or set boundaries.
This thought came to me as soon as I woke up today and I wanted to share it with you. Keep this in mind as you go through your life. The finish line is never the end.
Love each other, support each other, make the world a better place, and we will talk to you soon!
~Mike
Michael Hartman
My mission is to give personal training participants a safe and effective workout designed specifically for their goals. Dealing with many sports injuries over the years taught me how to come back stronger every time. The competition is with yourself... Strive to bring out your best self and get better every day!
