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Discipline of steel #2

Removing friction and excuses, why you may want to change goals, and how to tap into your hidden discipline.

As I was saying last week, my goal is to get you to move.

This is why I won’t drown you in a sea of studies and never-ending biohacks.

I know they are the best way to procrastinate.

I strongly believe you already have enough knowledge to get fit.

But it’s easy to go down the rabbit hole and never put what we learn into practice.

I don’t want to create an army of online know-it-alls who comment on every fitness post and correct other people who actually try.

I want a community who acts, moves, and goes after their goals, slowly but surely, one strong step at a time, even if it means making their own mistakes.

This is your Monday reminder that you won’t reach your goal by learning “10 simple ways” to do it, but by picking one and following through.

Now enough talk, here’s your weekly game plan: 

1. Discipline is the constant process of removing friction and excuses.

Building discipline is a process.
It’s about removing friction and excuses.
Prioritizing and eliminating.

Be mindful of everything that gives rise to an excuse. Remove it.

Tired from work? Train in the morning.
Too much traffic? Get dumbbells at home.
Your colleagues like junk food? Eat alone.

People will tell you it’s a choice, and they’re right. But it’s a tough one, I admit.

What’s hard is that we have to make that choice every day, several times a day.

What’s good is that discipline is also a habit. The more you make that choice, the easier and more automated it gets.

2 things can help you stay consistent:
- Never lose sight of the goal
- Remember it keeps getting easier

It will never be completely easy.
But one day you’ll be strong enough to make that choice every time, every day.

Once you understand it is not an innate quality, but rather something that can be trained, you too can have a discipline of steel.

2. Maybe you should change goals.

Motivation comes and goes, even for the most self-driven of us.

But if you always struggle to find the will to work out, or worse, if you don’t get a feeling of accomplishment after you did, you may have to rethink why you chose to train in the first place.

Did you actually start with a goal in mind?

There are many reasons to train.
Maybe you want to look good, maybe you want superhuman strength, or you just want to feel great and healthy, and sleep better.
You could train to eliminate chronic pain or to live long enough to meet your great grandchildren.

The best reason is the one that inspires you. And it is very personal; you have to find it in you.

Once you know what really drives you, it will be much easier to stick to the process.

And each workout will become much more fulfilling.

3. You already have strong discipline.

When it comes to building your business and reaching your financial goals, you are disciplined.
Could you use that same discipline to work out and reach your fitness goals?

You can kick yourself up and go to work every morning, even when you don't want to.
Could you use this discipline to get up and train?

Could you use it to go to bed earlier and get enough sleep?

You don't miss meetings. You may show up late but you show up.
Could you show up to every workout?

You are meticulous in your reading choices.
Could you be so picky with your food?

You stay accountable to your colleagues and business partners.
Can you keep yourself accountable when it comes to your health?

You don't lack discipline, you just have double standards for 2 things that are equally important.

Your challenge for next week is to put your work discipline into everything related to your health.
Will you accept it?

Bonus Tip

Traveling for business and afraid to skip workouts?

Staying consistent could be as easy as packing a set of resistance bands in your suitcase.

Remember 15 minutes of exercise is a lot of better than no exercise. Make it 15 minutes of high intensity training and you can still progress between meetings during your trip.

Here are 3 workouts to stay on top of your game (3 sets of 10-15 reps each):
- Pull: band pull-aparts, sitting rows, biceps curls.
- Push: push-ups with band, triceps extensions, lateral raises.
- Legs: squats, lunges, thrusts.

Now you can show up to those meetings energized and clear-headed. 💼💪