The Blame Game

Just finished listening to the audio cd of Think and Grow Rich and have now started on Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (I also bought these books to read through). This is all about getting into the right mindset to succeed. Much of your success in attaining a fitness goal (or any goal for that matter) is dependent on your attitude and determination, not so much on any physical gifts, the perfect workout, or being lucky. I feel you make your own luck by working hard and always striving to improve.

In Covey's 7 Habits, I heard something that really struck a chord and just re-affirmed my belief that to be successful, it really comes down to the choices/decisions you make. Covey said, "Our behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions." So basically, it means YOU have total control over your decisions and choices, not the conditions and environment around you. I remember when I was training for basketball trying to make my college team, I would shoot baskets and get in my running when it was pouring rain!!! In the summer, I would workout in the hot sun when most would be at the beach or indoors with the ac on. The weather, or anything else for that matter was not going to stop me. I ended up making my college basketball team and, as I reflect on those times, I had that burning desire to succeed and having that mindset gave me that edge to achieve my goal.

How many times have you blamed your conditions for your failures? Maybe it's raining and you DECIDE to stay in. Or, maybe, you CHOOSE to go to happy hour after work with your friends instead of getting a workout in. Or maybe since everybody in your office is eating donuts, you give in to temptation and CHOOSE to have one......or two!! Another condition people love to blame is time. "I have no time, or I'm too busy".

It all comes down to your desire to achieve your goal. In other words, how much does that goal mean to you? If a goal is as important as you say it is, then you'll find a way to achieve it. You'll go to the gym or do a home workout if it's raining, you'll save the drinks with friends for the weekend and go workout, you'll resist the urge to indulge in that donut, and you'll go to sleep earlier and get up an hour earlier to have more time. There's that saying, "There are two certainties in life, death and taxes," well I can add one more, the power to CHOOSE, no one can take that away from you. It takes hard work, perseverance, and that burning desire to achieve your goal. You DECIDE, how bad do you want it??