I’ve been working at gyms, training clients and coaching people towards health and fitness goals for a long time now. One of the things that always cracks me up is the interview I get when people come in for the first time.
The interview of asking questions and checking it out to see if THIS is the place, person, system that’s going to work.
It happens because most people have already done many things before they came to me. They’ve had the 2 year gym members, they’ve done the group classes, they tried the bootcamp and the power yogas and even had a personal trainer. They want to know if this is just going to be one more thing on that list or will this be it.
Will this be the key to their success?!?
It gets me because it seems like if they ask the right questions, if they get the right vibe or if this thing different enough to create a new result then they’ll know it’s the right thing. Like somehow they will know it’s the recipe to success without actually tasting the soup.
Let me us an example:
I was watching Kung Fu Panda this past weekend. It’s an animated film about a panda that wants to become the best Kung Fu artist in the world. I highly recommend it! Yes, I’m 37 and no my 1 year old son didn’t watch it with me, but that’s besides the point…
(Heads up, I’m about to ruin the movie if you haven’t watched it so I suggest watching it before you read on if you don’t want it ruined.)
The point I’m trying to make is that the panda, as well as some other characters, have spent all of their training waiting to gain access to the ancient secret to become the Dragon Warior. Only one person is able know this secrete and once they do they will become unstoppable. They all believe that until they know this secrete they are somehow inferior and will never reach the ultimate goal.
Spoiler time: In the end, the panda earns the right to the ancient secrete. When he finally gets to open the scroll it’s is blank. Empty. There’s absolutely nothing written on it.
The ancient secret is that there is no secret. There is no special way to reach the ultimate goal and be undefeatable. What it takes is belief. If the panda only believes that he is unstoppable, then he will be.
I share this story as a reference because it’s the same as those people in the gym putting me through their interview (and sometimes interrogation).
There is no special gym, class, trainer, piece of equipment or secrete recipe that will be their only path to success. Their goals will be reached when the believe they can reach their goals.
There is no secret to success, there is only the belief that success is possible. Once you know you can achieve it, I mean truly know that YOU can get there, then it’s just a matter of putting in the work and taking the steps.
If you’ve been this person, you’ve done the interview, or you’ve been searching for that secrete ingredient, I can tell you with certainty that it doesn’t come from what you are doing. It comes from knowing that you’re efforts will get you there as long as you push your limits and put in the work.
Focus on your belief that success is possible and it will be.
“If it is going to be, it is up to me.” The bottom line is, I must make the choice that success is possible – – – then I can choose to seek out the guidance and knowledge that I do not have, to maximize my potential for success. Then if I am committed to do the work, the support received, is the bonus I am truly great full for.
Thanks for your guidance, knowledge and support Chad!!