Having a reason why...

This photo is one I've never shared from around 5 years ago. In this photo I was probably the leanest and pound for pound strongest I've ever been. It wasn't a fleeting moment either, I was like this for at least 3 years. Day in day out. It was pretty hard to maintain, but that's only one aspect of this blog. I was in this shape alongside having two jobs and studying for my masters degree. I was training 6x per week, sometimes starting a lifting session after work at 10:30pm, and competing at the weekends in my peak as a volleyball player in the England squad. I did it because I really knew my reason why. I had a chip on my shoulder and felt I needed to prove something while playing volleyball. I felt I needed success in volleyball to have the later success I wanted in coaching. I wanted that success in coaching as I again wanted to prove people wrong. I had things I was desperate to do, so I got to work accordingly in the only ways that I could. I probably had more success in those years across the board than in any other years of my life.

Looking back on my 20's, any successes that I got were based on those strong reasons why. I don't agree with those reasons now, but they created committed and consistent action.

(Let me be clear, I'm not advising you best yourself with sticks that you really needn't as I did. I'm saying you should be honest with yourself about why you want change and make decisions based off that, including whether it is a valid reason).

Using emotions lingering from experiences when growing up was potent fuel for the fire. What I am saying is, the REAL reason WHY is SO important. It precedes everything else. If you don't focus on it and channel it, you'll fall short of what you actually want. Human's act on emotion much more than logic, and that's the truth.

I didn't want to be a good volleyball player. I didn't want to be a specific weight of bodyfat percentage. I didn't want certificates. I was angry and upset from feeling like people didn't see me how I saw myself, and I wanted to prove them wrong. (Plot twist: It turns out nobody actually cares). So, if you have goals to lose weight, get fitter, get stronger... you'll achieve them to an extent, but you want achieve them to your full potential unless you dig into the real reason why.