“I’m just waiting for the right time to get started”
How many times have you said something like this to yourself?
Many people wait for the “perfect” time to start their health and fitness journey, but this all-or-nothing approach almost always leads to no change at all.
I want you to think about other times you’ve thought or said something similar.
“I’ll start when I have more time”
“I’ll start when I get some new runners”
“I’ll start when I find a training partner”
“I’ll start when the weather warms up”
How often did you follow through with making a change? I’m guessing almost never, and you’re not alone there. Waiting for the “perfect time” is a justification I’ve seen people make time and time again because making meaningful change is scary and uncomfortable, so waiting for the perfect conditions is a common defense mechanism against having to finally get started on making a change.
“I could do that, buuuut” keeps you safe from pain and ridicule but it is also a statement that denies yourself your greatness and potential to achieve some amazing things! That’s why having the “perfect time” or an all-or-nothing approach will rarely get you your desired results because there is no perfect time to start as there will always be something that can or does get in the way.
Now at times, you might get a magic moment where all the stars align and everything feels perfectly in place so you take up the challenge of improving your health and fitness. Hooray! Celebrate these moments, and enjoy the feelings of power they provide. But don’t wait for these rare unicorn moments. Instead, take command and create these moments! Search for them, chase them down and make them yours.
You might see others around you who seemingly have it all together and you might think it’s much easier for them because their younger, or stronger, or have more money and that they’re different, but they aren’t. They too have had to start somewhere and more often than not, they started small. So be sure to celebrate small wins and watch them grow into bigger wins and achievements! I’m telling you, your “perfect time” is literally right now! This very moment! Make this moment your beginning, your start and watch as one moment grows into many great moments.
I know what you’re going to say “I can’t get started, it’s different for me, and that’s the problem!” Thinking this way isn’t you making a start, in fact, without knowing it you’re trying to jump somewhere into the middle.
Let me give you an example: you want to get stronger so you start to research all the programs you can find on strength training and all the different ways to build strength. But that’s not helpful if all you’re doing is researching and not actually starting any strength training, so maybe researching all the different ways to train isn’t actually meant to be your start. Maybe starting for you is something else like blocking out your schedule, making time to train and sticking to it or setting a reminder for squatting to a chair ten times every day.
Starting means initiating action, it means committing to a choice. This is how you actually start. Like when you put a coin into a pinball machine and pulling back the pin, this is when you actually start, not when you decide which game you’ll play.
” Start small, put one foot in front of the other and take small steps.”
I want to give you one final piece of advice, when you do decide to start you may doubt yourself and your decision for a little while, please know this is normal! You’re not failing nor have you failed in your journey if you have these feelings. You must ignore the self doubt and continue to push on through. Even when you accidentally overcook your healthy foods it doesn’t mean eating healthy isn’t for you.
Or you leave your training program at home it doesn’t mean you can’t work out that day. Or because your feeling tired and your muscles are aching while exercising, it doesn’t mean you’re not ready to exercise. These feelings are normal at first, it happens to everyone, keep chipping away and taking those small steps and most importantly don’t stop! The urge to pause or quit will eventually ease.
Get some support to help get you started. Whether it’s a friend, a family member, or a personal trainer to help to keep you on track. There isn’t one successful person in this world that has made it entirely on their own.
If you’d like more tips, or a guiding hand during your training, contact us to discuss working with one of our expert personal trainers.
