God Gave You That Mind, Use It:
This is a transcript of a past conversation in my head between
a little angel on my shoulder and my internal voice...
Internal Voice: I wonder if I will ever be in the physical condition
that I see these guys in on the covers of the magazines
Angel: What do you mean you "wonder" if you can do it?
It basically, comes down to this, can you see yourself doing it?
Internal Voice: Yes
Angel: Close your eyes, as you see yourself doing it are you in
the first person point of view or are you viewing yourself doing
it like a person watching TV? Just an outsider?
Internal: I'm outside
Angel: Step inside the picture and see it first hand, has your
feelings for it changed?
Internal: Yes, it has.
Angel: Then what is stopping you?
Internal: Well, there are so many outside factors. What if...
Angel: WHOA, WHAT IF! WHAT IF! What if you succeed. What if Arnold
decided to stay in Austria? He wouldn't be a former Mr. Olympia
champion bodybuilder, nor a movie star, or the governator of California?
Internal: Yeah, but that didn't happen.
Angel: Exactly, it didn't happen because he believed in himself
and kept going. What makes you think he never doubted he could
do something? It isn't about perfection, it's about persistence.
You lose when you give up, you lose if you don't go for it,
there is still possibility and you reach closer and closer to
your goal as you keep going. Giving up is easy and you can quit
anytime you would like to. Why not show yourself the opposite
and go for it? Do you want to do it?
Internal: Yes... okay I will go for it.
So the words aren't exact, but the repeated lessons are almost
always the same. Let's look at this conversation a little deeper.
It starts with a dream:
What is your dream? That is where it starts. If you can't think
big because of self doubt then it's time to start playing make
believe. "What one can conceive he can achieve" some
unknown once said, and this very phrase is repeated by successful
people and self help guru's alike. Start paying attention to those
dreams because they tell a lot about your preference and your
purpose in life. Some people even say that they don't have any
dreams. Learning to quiet your mind is just as simple as sitting
alone for a few minutes and just paying attention to what is going
on internally.
Where are you in your dreams:
When you get involved in your mental reality it's important to
notice if you are in first person or third person. If you are
in third person then you aren't really seeing what it's like to
be the person achieving your dream. Do you see a fit you? Well,
step into that body and try it on. Feel those tone abs! How are
people treating you and what are they saying? go look in the mirror,
what do you see in the reflection? Experience this body in numerous
situations, but do it in a positive manner that makes it desirable.
You are now focusing on what you will soon become first hand.
What if:
What if automatically denotes someone using their imagination
for either optimism or pessimism. What if's haven't happened
and can be a powerful way to help focus and mold your thought.
Next time you find yourself having a little bit of doubt on
a particular issue start "what if"ing positive thoughts.
- What if I got down to 8% body fat.
- What if I went in and asked my boss for the raise, he has
the opportunity to say "yes".
- What if ... fill in your own reality here
When you hear others around you start a sentence with "what
if" immediately start paying attention as to whether they
have an optimistic or pessimistic attitude. If you catch yourself
saying it, instantly STOP, and refocus your words to ensure you
are using them to your benefit. This is more focused visualization
that can help you create a different reality than the one you
are living in right now.
None of
us are immune from negative thoughts or self doubt. It's
just that successful people will act in spite of it.
The only way to conquer our fears is to face them head on.
The first conversation took place in my mind after I had
been featured in EAS BetaLean HP ads for the first half
of the year. For 6 months my likeness in great physical
shape appeared in these ads, yet it didn't make me totally
immune from those thoughts creeping back in. It's your head
and you are in control. Take those fears and flip them around.
There are useful and not useful thoughts. Use those doubts
as an excuse to prove yourself wrong.
Do you want to do it:
Ask yourself, "Do I want to do this?" This simple
question seems so EASY, but it's so hard at the same time.
When you are experiencing what it's like to be in that
body how compelling is it? If experiencing those 5 senses
is so compelling that you must go out and immediately
have that body, then you have a mental dream that you
should turn into a clear and concise goal.
If the vision isn't compelling enough then you need to
find another vision. It's your mind, play with it, use
it and tinker around with those visions until you find
the one that is compelling enough to do something with
it.
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How do you take a dream and make it a goal? You write it on
paper and start to define it. Here is an example:
I would love to have rippling abs like Shawn Phillips that I
see on the front cover of his book, ABSolution. I'm currently
at 12% body fat, and I know that you don't really start seeing
the abs until around 8 or 9%. In 12 weeks I will drop from 12%
down to 8% body fat while working my abs like a mad man.
HOLY COW! I just took my inner vision and turned it into a clear
and concise goal. So what is next?
Take action, even in spite of tremendous doubt, take action:
Great people never fail, right? Take Abe Lincoln for example.
This man failed as a lawyer going out of business, didn't win
a governors election, and flopped at numerous other adventures
he partook in. Then he went on to become one of the greatest
presidents ever in US history. In spite of things holding him
back in his past he kept taking action.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Do the things we fear, and
the death of fear is certain." Failure only happens when
you give up. When you persistently tackle a problem you whittle
away at it more and more each day. Your body changes are the same
way. Things don't happen overnight. If you don't take action inspite
of your doubt and fear you will never achieve what you ultimately
deserve.
You start from where you are at and build it from the ground up,
but get started. Most people get to this point and never even
start. Don't worry about knowing every little thing that it takes
to get started, just take action... today! Don't get caught up
in the paralysis of analysis. Make a little plan, set some goals,
dump the bad food out of your fridge and get started.
Putting it all together:
1. Sit in silence and visualize your new body and new life that
you would like to achieve
2. If you aren't in first person then move into the body in
first person.
3. Take some of your doubts and start imagining the opposite
with "what if's" in a positive manner.
4. Play numerous scenarios out until you get more comfortable
in these situations as if you were already there.
5. When you step back to the here and now write down in specific
sentences what it would take to achieve that body. NOTE: it
may take you a year or so depending upon how big you are dreaming.
Don't be afraid, go for what you really want, it will be more
compelling and far easier to stick with.
6. Break this goal into incremental chunks and give yourself
a rough date for each one.
7. Take the first step. Yes, get started today.
Zachary Marcy has a BA degree in Psychology from Georgia
State University. He has been involved in the fitness industry
since 1990 as a personal trainer, a motivational speaker, and
as a life success coach. He now uses his numerous years of experience
to continue assisting athletes, body builders, and fitness conscious
people internationally. You can email him at bodylabz@yahoo.com
or contact him through http://www.bodylabz.com
