Success Breeds Success

August 25, 2010

By Bill

I’ll be honest, sometimes I think working out and eating right sucks. And by sometimes, I mean all the time. Really, why do I want to make myself uncomfortable and sweaty and tired and stinky and hungry? Okay, not stinky. I always smell like roses. But all that other stuff? That’s the pits, right?

Right.

So what makes anyone continue working out? Success.

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “success breeds success,” and it’s kind of lame but true. When you’re successful at something, you tend to continue to be successful at it. It’s more fun (okay, tolerable) when you notice that you’re getting results. When you notice that you feel stronger, or look more toned, or you feel better in the mornings.

Think about when you fall off the wagon, and you have a day or two of eating terribly or not working out. What’s your first instinct? Continue eating terribly and not working out. The exact opposite is true for when you’re working out and you see (and pay attention to) results.

When you see positive results results – and you will – it makes you want to keep going.

I’m a couple of weeks into my 30 day plan, and I’ve lost at least a couple of pounds, I’m running faster than I have in a while, and I’M SEEING MY ABS RETURN. WOOT! I’ve been diligent about working out, but seeing those changes really makes me want to continue. Did I want to work out today? Not really, but thinking about my success (okay, I only care about my abs at the moment…vanity is a valid reason to work out) made me want to do it anyway. And I did.

So take time to notice your success. Are you losing weight? Looking more toned? Following Natalie instead of Anita? Moved on from modified pushups to “regular” ones? No success is too small. Focus on it, and it can only lead to more success.

What successes have you noticed?