“F*** the dream. Have a clear vision”
I’ve been enjoying the new Arnold documentary and gleaning the odd bit of advice from the wily, tough and outrageously resourceful hustler. My quoted line above is slightly paraphrased from what he said, but it hit like a train and I immediately took it to heart: Stop dreaming and start planning. Don’t stare at the mountain peak, mark out the trail.
I’d got into a bit of a routine-rut in the gym––AKA the dreaded plateau––so this advice arrived at the ideal time. That same day I set a clear goal as to the physique and fitness level I wanted to achieve, but crucially, I’ve reverse engineered it to where I am now, marking every step along the journey I must take to reach that vision. It’s all I see when I think about my health, on the walk to the gym, or when doing the actual training.
Whether it’s training, work, finances or relationships, it is far too easy to aim high or even fancifully but then go ahead and support it with an inadequate strategy. If it’s a promotion you want, it needs to be broken down to a day-by-day plan on making yourself irreplaceable. If it’s buying a house, then the plan needs to be meticulously spreadsheeted. And life, health and relationships should be given no less care and attention.
Pro Tip: In the gym I use my phone’s notes feature which has a motivating-but-attainable image of where I want to be, my daily and weekly targets, and my achievements. For work, I’ve now got one of those little notebooks and am essentially recording the same data. I’m getting there slowly, but it’s good to remember, we’re all a work-in-progress.
I hope you enjoyed today’s post and are already looking forward to the next one. Feel free to leave a comment below, share your experience, or even make a suggestion for a future post.
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