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Discipline of steel #8

A bit of samurai wisdom, the most positive thing you can do, and how to control your mood.

Hi Enso Warriors,

Today I want to help you refocus on what really matters.

I’m talking about what is really going to make a difference to reach your goals – aka the 99%.

If you are like most people on the internet right now, you’re being overwhelmed with information about the 1%. Things that only matter after you got everything else right and need some fine tuning.

Stop listening to witchers, gurus and pseudo-scientists.

Eat clean, move, and 99% is done.

While you try and apply every single advice you read to fix the 1%, others are taking action and getting the 99% right.

What you’re about to read is not more science you don’t need, but simple steps you can take to recenter and do the work that matters.

Here’s how you can start this week.

1. Some Samurai wisdom.

Big goals should be broken down into smaller goals.

That’s not enough.

We should learn to take our big goals lightly, and our smaller goals seriously.

We should not be obsessed about our destination, or we will take the quickest road to discouragement.

A lack of patience will frustrate us and prevent us from enjoying the journey and the present moment. This will negatively impact our practice and the task at hand.

On the other hand, not taking small steps seriously is the best way to not take them at all, and delay progress over time.

What I mean: stop obsessing over your dream body, and obsess about the next workout instead.

In the Book of the Samurai, Master Tsunetomo says “matters of great concern should be treated lightly”. Master Ittei commented “matters of small concern should be treated seriously”.

This, I think, is for the same reasons.

How do you interpret that quote?

2.  Sometimes the most positive thing you can do is look at the bad side.

I read a post that said: “By age 42, you should have an entire wardrobe of clothes one size too small that you keep in eternal optimism that you’ll fit in them again one day.”

That’s funny.
That also shows me some of us need to completely reverse their mindset if they want a chance to achieve their goals.

Sometimes the most optimistic thing you can do is look at something negative, face it, and choose to act on it.

Anything that reminds you how far you are from your goals should put you in war mode.

If there is something you want to change and can change, don’t accept it.

Face it every day. Do think about it. Let it sting.

Find drive in it, and act.

We talk a lot about looking at the bright side of things, and that’s surely healthy most of the time.

But some things are negative by nature.

And when ignored, they can become very unhealthy or lead to regret.

Be careful not to let contentment or resignation bury your goals.

3. Don’t let your mood dictate your actions, let your actions define your mood.

Every now and then, it’s one of those days.
And for some reason that is strange even to us,
we don’t feel like doing anything.

We have no control over how we wake up.
However, it is up to us whether we go to bed
in the same mood or not.

By doing the right actions, we can reset our headspace.

It doesn’t have to be a bad day. You can turn it around
if you just do every little thing you know has to be done.

Be even stricter, and follow your routine and plan even more diligently.
Do all the things you don’t feel like doing, and above all, do your workout.

At first, it will be harder than other days.
But in the end, the feeling of pride and accomplishment will be double.

You will go to bed happy. After a long but good day.

Something to remember:

Your workout starts exactly when you want it to end.

The point of fatigue is where gains are made.

The purpose of every rep you did until that point was only to lead up to the limit.

Not the limit of what you can do, but the limit of your comfort.

That’s when you have a crucial choice to make:
1)    Stop and everything you did before goes to waste.
2)    Push through and make progress.

That is not to say you should chase pain or always go to failure.

But just make sure you do a few reps in the red.

No challenge, no gain.

By the way, this applies to much more than just our workouts.
So you might want to read it again.