Don’t give up, you are worth it
Before I get into this chapter, I have 3 quick points to make...
1 - Nothing worthwhile was ever achieved without significant effort. Note the word SIGNIFICANT. Nothing worth something comes easy. Little effort, little results. And this applies to… EVERYTHING.
2 - You can't OUT-TRAIN a BAD diet. If you bust your butt in the gym several times a week then eat like crap all week, well, guess what, you'll notice LIMITED, if any, changes. Don't expect the body you want, the million dollar body, while eating off the dollar menu.
3 - Don’t forget the age old adage: quality over quantity. I personally don't think there's anything wrong with working out often, BUT if half (or worse, ALL) of those workouts are at 50% effort because you are pacing yourself to last you are limiting your results. Put 100% effort and then determine how much you can do as you go. Pacing yourself is a cushion, it’s the comfort zone and we all known nothing happens in the comfort zone.
PROGRESS, RESULTS and LIFE happen OUTSIDE of your comfort zone.
Okay, now that we’ve got that out of the way, I need to talk to you about something serious, something that's been on my mind, something that's had me up all night trying to get the wording for this chapter just right.
Don't give up on yourself
When life knocks you down, don't give up.
When others are progressing quicker than you are, don't give up.
When you're exhausted, don't give up.
When it feels like you can't move a muscle, don't give up.
When it feels like you can't breathe, don't give up.
When you want to throw in the towel, don't give up.
When you feel like you've taken the last shot, don't give up.
When you feel like nothing’s working, don't give up.
When you feel like all your drive is gone, don't give up.
When you are sick of eating clean, don't give up.
When you're sick of drinking water, don't give up.
When you can't seem to get moving again, don't give up.
When every inch or your body is screaming to quit, don't give up.
Don't give up. It's worth it. It always is.
We ALL get hit with seemingly hopeless times, don't give up.
When the going gets tough, when the road gets bumpy, when the energy is drained and the excitement is nowhere to be seen, buckle down, adjust where needed, but whatever you do, don't give up.
You are NOT a quitter.
Get. It. Done.
Dig down and find the reasons you need to stay motivated and keep giving 100%.
In case you can't think of any, here are two biggies for me.
1 - Children: If you have children, this should be your number 1 reason to be as healthy as humanly possible. Your kids want you there for a very long time (well, some might want you to be gone during the teen years, but they'll want you back!). It's your job to be there. But don't just SHOW UP, being there is one thing, but being active in your child's life is another. Be involved, be active.
I read a story once of a horse breeder who raised award winning race horses. These horses had multiple championships under their belts, won countless awards and were hailed as some of the BEST horses around. The breeder had books from floor to ceiling about all things horses. If there was ANYTHING he could do to give his horse the edge, the optimal life, the best performances, he did. He had books on every topic you can imagine. He gave those horses the most positive of surroundings, the best possible meals, the best stable, the best exercise, everything was the best because he wanted the horses to be the best. But he died at a young age of a heart attack.
This breeder took better care of his horses than he did of himself. In fact, I would be willing to bet his horses had a better diet than most of us!!
I'm always baffled when people tell me they want to be the best they can be for their kids but won't put down the soda and grab a bottle of water.
Pay attention to the details, your children are worth it.
FOR THE RECORD, I NEVER said you can't be the best parent EVER living an unhealthy lifestyle. You can be the most amazing mom/dad anyone has ever seen, and eat like crap all day long and be 700 pounds. What I did say, however, is that you risk substantial health problems the unhealthier you are, and that's a tough risk to take. The top 3 causes of death are lifestyle related. As always, the choice is yours, not mine. For me, tragic events in life happen but I prefer to stack the odds in my favor.
It's worth it.
2 - Yourself. Yes, I put ‘yourself’ as number two. I know that everyone preaches that YOU are the most important person in the world, but I’ve got kids, and I’d do anything for them – even at my own expense –so I get it. BUT, your children can be your motivators, but you should always put yourself first.
I know many parents who put their children ahead of their own lives, me included, but let me say this: Many of the things we do are for our children, but you should put yourself first. Far too many put a million and one things in front of themselves and their own health. Don't do that. YOU are the most important person in the world so pay close attention to you. If you take care of you, you’re kids are set. If you only take care of them, and you lose your health, nothing matters anymore. If you’re a parent like I am, there will be a battle between them first or you first, they should both be a tie, they go hand in hand, they need EACH OTHER. You need to focus on YOU, for them.
It's worth it because you are stuck with you. Be the best you that you could ever be. When you are where you want to be, life is easier, life is bigger, life is better, life is more exciting, life is more amazing.
When you are where YOU want to be, and that means living life on your terms, not anyone elses, living life the way you want it makes life good. When you feel amazing in your skin everything is better. Work is better, relationships are better, nighttime activities are better, recreational sports are better, outdoor activities are better, Christmas banquets are better, heck everything is better – including your relationship with your kids.
EVERYONE deserves to wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and say to themselves "Damn, I look good!”
Be the best you can be and don't ever let anyone talk you out of it. Be you, be amazing, be true, be genuine and never settle.
Always raise the bar, YOU are worth it.
One last note, I KNOW you put everyone else's needs above your own, and that makes you who you are, it also is what makes us human, but the BEST way to KEEP helping them is to keep YOU the BEST you possible.
To your success,
Al