Taking the Leap

               Goals. Everyone’s always yammering on about setting realistic goals. Keep it simple, stupid. All that shit. But what are realistic goals? Why do they matter so much? Why can’t we just wander around in life and just live?

                You need purpose. I have stated this in my previous post. A purpose makes a life meaningful. Are you in college? Why? What do you think you’ll get out of getting a degree versus just getting a job? Do you train? Why? Why is training better than sitting on your ass eating chips and drinking soda? Do you drink? Why? What does that do for you? What benefit do you get out of it? All of these things should be questions we ask ourselves, if we want to be better or get better. But to change habits, we need a reason to. Goals.

                I just filled out my entry form for my first powerlifting meet. The meet is October 5^th, where I have no fucking clue how much weight I will even attempt. I don’t know the total I’m chasing. I just know I need to get on the platform and do my best. That means every day, I’m doing my best. Your best is different than my best, but that’s a post for another day. Today’s all about goals and asking you to question if they are, in fact, important and if so, why?

                Before filling out my entry form, I was training hard. “Hard training” is relative to strength and other factors, but I was training “hard”. Now I’m training harder. How hard was I training previously if I can now train harder? What changed? The investment in the meet, for one. Knowing it’s my first one and I don’t want to look like a pussy on the platform in front of the huge monsters there or disappoint myself. My family won’t give two shits if I lift a PR or not, they’ll still love me and think I am completely unhinged for training and eating and resting just to lift some weights on some day in some town we have never been to wearing a little singlet and, as my girlfriend says, “heaving and ho-ing” some weights around. Doesn’t matter, though. I’m there for me. The goals associated with me not looking like an asshole at this meet are for me. No one else cares about this as much as I do.

                Goals are for you. To make you stronger, better, faster, healthier, more aware….whatever end goal you’re after, it’s the little points, these tiny goals that get you to the bigger picture. Picture yourself wealthy with nice cars and fancy watches? You better start looking around for someone who’s good at being rich and who made it through with hard work and knowledge.

                Want to get shredded and compete on stage, trying to earn your pro card? Find someone who’s good at coaching bodybuilders and turning them into pros with their guidance and help.

                Want to get jacked and hit some massive PRs? Better find someone who’s competed, has lifted iron for years and has a passion and the knowledge base to help you reach your potential.

                The point is, even if you seek out help to reach another level, you are still the only one that cares 100%. The other people care based upon having an interest in your success. They do give two shits if you’re successful. They do care if you hit those PRs at that meet (or, in my case, he cares if I get my injuries more stable and find ways to correct things now so I can be successful and reach my goals). Find someone who cares enough and you’ll have the help you need to succeed. But all the help and knowledge in the world can’t do shit if you don’t have an idea of where you want to be.

                Since I don’t have any definitive numbers yet for my first meet, what are my goals? Before I decided to do a meet, I just wanted to be stronger than you. I wanted to get jacked, only because being strong and effective is what I have never been, physically. It’s a mental challenge for me. And I like a good challenge. My goal now is to do my best. What is your best? Are you sure you’re there?

                What are your goals? Get them figured out, write them out and then enter into a 5k, a Crossfit challenge, a golf competition, a meet, or whatever else you need to give your training purpose. Just take the jump and I guarantee you, your entire mind set will change. There’s something different about performing in an uncomfortable situation with people you don’t know VS doing it at work where you know everyone. Take the leap. Not because I told you to, but because you know you can.

                See you in the DUNGEON.