How you ALLOW yourself to perceive a thing directly effects your performance of that thing and determines your outcome.

 If you view a difficult thing from the perspective of the hardship you will encounter, the probability of failure, or the discomfort you will have to endure, the thing will be difficult to bear, and your performance will suffer, effecting the end product.

 If you view it as a challenge to be met and overcome, the next step in a process that you have been working for - a place that you have reached through work, discipline, sweat, sacrifice, and commitment - then you realize you are right where you wanted to be. This thing is a reward, and one more threshold to cross along the way.

 Just as you had to earn your place here, you must do this thing to earn the next place ahead.

 If this is your mindset - you realize and remember that this is what you want, and you are able to focus your mind and body in effort toward successful completion of the task.

 It is only the child in us that wants the reward without the risk or sacrifice.

 I have found this is to be one main key to success, and it is something I work on regularly.

 Of course, It helps when you have people and processes to help you with the task, but if you can't self start and self motivate, the help is only a crutch, and when it's gone, you'll be left with nothing solid to keep you on track and pushing ahead.

 I have literally had a conversation where my friend stated that he turned around halfway to the gym, and didn't go back, because he realized he forgot his iPod.

 I know of people that can't focus on the work without music. This is either to motivate them or distract them from what they are doing.

 This is not a mindset that creates success.

 Don't get me wrong, things like this can be big factors in productivity, and should be used accordingly, but if you can't find the focus without them, they do more harm then good.

 From time to time, I play music when I train. It does fire me up a little more for the training, and I have a little more fun in the process. I don't need it, though, and I'll go long periods without it because I don't want to lose the ability to create the environment within myself.

 I want to be able to find my focus and drive with nothing else but my will and desire.

 This can be applied everywhere. I only use music and training as an easy example.

 Winning, being successful when everything is going your way and you're having a good day is easy.

 Creating success when nothing seems to be going for you and everything feels like a struggle or a fight is where true champions are made - whether in the weight room, on the field, in business, or in life.

 Here's the key takeaway - you never get to the point where the right attitude, the right mindset is automatic. Everyone, including the top players, has those moments where they're disheartened, rundown, and feel like blowing off what hey have to do - or even quitting outright. The difference is, they know how to quickly smash those thoughts and feelings and create the ones that will help them to not just push through the difficulty, but come out on top.

 Change your attitude, change your approach to the things you need to smash, and change your life.


To Victory
 - Eric

 Whenever you take up something new - a course of study, a new skill, a hobby, a habit or practice you want to develop, there is a continual pattern of trial, error, and course correction.

 This is natural and how we all learn.

 When we learn something new we are literally laying down new tissue, new neural pathways through repetition until that new skill or practice becomes well learned and natural.

 If you think about the first time you lifted weights, threw a punch, threw, hit, or kicked a ball, or did anything requiring precision, control, and coordination, you were shaky and imprecise. This is due to a lack of neural mapping for that task. This is why precision in practice matters. You want to build the right pathway for that movement.

 Once we realize how the process works, we see that mistakes and failure along the way are not just a natural part of the process, but necessary to the process for continued learning and growth toward mastery.

 As we strive to perfect the new thing, the mistakes and failures show us where the weaknesses lie - the areas that are holding us back and, if not addressed will only further hinder us down the road - perhaps in ways that matter more than they do now.

 It's easy to be hard on yourself. I'm hard on myself , so I know.

 I also know that creating expectations without strategies that you can act on can be disastrous physically, mentally, and emotionally.

 Being hard on yourself in a self flagellating, abusive way creates the mindset and attitude of a quitter.

 Hold yourself accountable for what you say you'll do and what you've chosen to undertake.

 When you falter or fail - don't  get angry or lose heart, and don't let it become an end state.

 Instead, let it be a fluid state - one you move out of and away from quickly.

 Identify the why and how of the shortcoming and become a problem solver. Work to understand the root cause of the failure, and create a strategy to overcome it.

 Don't beat up on yourself, don't doubt yourself, and don't internalize the criticisms of others.

 In the end, no one cares about the naysayers or the critics. No one remembers the people trying to sow doubt and discouragement.

 There are no great stories written about them, and no cool movies or shows based around them.

 What we do love, however, are those who strive and overcome. The ones who face difficulties, challenges, and, yes, failure - sometimes over and over again, and continue to push until they breakthrough and find success.

 The only way you can be unsuccessful is if you quit. So don't give up.



To Victory
 - Eric

 The other day I read an Instagram post about the power of speech. It revolved around the word "Abracadabra", which, the writer implied was a Hebrew word that translates roughly to "I create as I speak."
 
 The actual etymology and translation is tricky, and probably doesn't have it's origin or meaning in what those involved in arcane practices believe, but so what?

 If the belief and intent is there, that's kind of all that matters, at least to one working in magic.

 In fact, a word, phrase, or even object used with magical intent is simply a trigger to focus the mind.

 Is this any different than a person having a mantra - a word or phrase said aloud or internally before or during a performance of any sort?

 Are we to believe that words - or objects, for that matter, can have actual, physical power?

 Or is the power one of self belief that is only focused and enhanced by said word or object?

 How does this relate to us, though?

 The power of the mind - the will is an amazing thing.

 At our fingertips lie the stories of soldiers, special forces candidates, and athletes who have done amazing things in the face of enormous odds simply because they had set their minds on no other outcome but the positive one.

 There is a story of a man who fully  recovered from a massive stroke , suffered at 65, to go on to live a full and active life after only one year of highly irregular therapy given him by his sons.

 All around us, if we pay attention, we can see everyday people who rise above circumstances, environment, and expectations to create a better life, which translates to a better world, for themselves.

 We have ample proof that the mind is the key to our success - or failure.

 Yes, life is hard. Circumstances make things more difficult for one person while easier for another. Environment is a heavy influence on how you see the world.

 However, we all possess the ability to choose how we let these circumstances and our environment shape our belief systems.

 We can choose to view our lives as effected and directed by outside factors working against us - our parents, the government, the economy, our age, etc.

 Or, we can choose to recognize that we actually have control over the majority of our life, and a large part of our current outcome is the direct result of our efforts, or lack thereof, to get us where we are today.

 This is responsibility, folks. It is also freedom. It is most definitely power.

 But can you wield it?

 By accepting this reality, you acknowledge your role in what happens next. You get to decide where you're going to go, what you're going to do, and who you will be.

 It all rides on you and what you're willing to do.

 Can you change your thought process?

 Can you change how you view yourself?

 Can you create a purpose, a new reality to push yourself toward?

 Can you keep yourself focused and on the path, holding yourself accountable?

 The more I study and train, the more I realize (at 44) how much of my adult life I spent responding to life like a child - allowing instant gratification, letting myself off the hook when things got tough, rarely holding myself accountable to do things I committed myself to do.

 Yesterday I was reading something by Travis Mash, a highly successful strength coach down in the Raleigh area of North Carolina. He was talking about one of the athletes he's been training, a Wake Forest freshman who not only made the football team, but started his freshman year, which is not a light thing.

 Travis was talking about the reality this young athlete had created. He and his parents talked about getting into a D1 football program, and what it would take to get there, from an early age. He set small goals to work on improving all his physical skills, building his confidence. He chose the right people to hang around - positive people, creating an environment for success for himself. He and Travis talked about having the right mindset to walk in on day one and start, as opposed to expectations of being benched for his first year.

 I use this example because, if you look at it the right way, it's a real world example of a formula for success.

 1.) Decide what you want, and work backward. What is it going to take to get
      there?

 2.) Set up small goals to knock down leading up to and preparing you for the   
      big one. Too often people go for broke when they aren't prepared physically
      or mentally yet. Build yourself up. Build your confidence and self belief up.
     You will literally be experiencing your reality changing - by your hand.

 3.) Create an environment consistent with where and who you want to be.
      Thoughts, habits, people, and places that detract from that will tank your
      efforts.

 4.) Believe in yourself and the work you've put in.

 As much as I hate math, I often talk of how training is like math. There is science behind why it works. From there, all I have to do is show up, put in focused, determined effort, follow a lifestyle that's congruent with what I'm doing, and I will get the outcome I'm looking for.

 The thing is - everything's kind of like that. Once you realize that you choose your outcome, you control in a very large part where you go and what happens to you, everything simply becomes a matter of making better choices.

 Stop hanging out on the bench. It's getting crowded there.

 
 To Victory
 - Eric

 Yesterday I was talking with Sheena Potts, the owner of Pure Performance24. We were talking about what keeps some people from being consistent in class.

 I had brought up an incident from a few nights ago where a client had texted me about being too tired to come to class that night. For the record, she's an accountant who runs her own small office, so this time of year is hell for her.

 I knew she would be better off just coming in - even if only mentally, and I also figured she was looking for someone to give her a nudge - so I told her she should come and at least do a scaled down program.

 This led to Sheena talking about a concept she called the Alter Ego. The guy she pulled it from wears fake glasses because he always associated wearing glasses with being smart, so his wearing glasses is his smart Alter Ego.

 Laugh, or roll your eyes, but the brain, perception, and association are powerful things.

 So, anyway, she was talking about helping others find their Alter Ego. When they're too tired, too sore, too disinterested, too whatever to show up and train - they step into their Alter Ego and show up, put in the work, and build a better version of themselves.

 It may seem weird, but if you think about it, it's kind of a cool idea.

 There's a duality in everyone - the part of you that has dreams, plans, visions, and goals, and the part of you that wants to dash it all on the rocks, set fire to it, and walk away.

 What happens when apathetic you wants to call the shots? How do you fight that desire to push off commitment?

 You need to summon that part of you that wants to fight, struggle, and prevail against the gravitational pull of resistance to self improvement.

 This is the side that doesn't want to settle into comfort, convenience, and slack, but would rather rise above your current state, rise above the status quo, and accept the challenge to be the best you can be.

 As I'm sounding off here, I'll let you in on a secret, and maybe a little insight.

 My Alter Ego wants to drink too much, hang out late at night listening to bands in dive bars, waste the day chasing entertainment, and generally kick back.

 I could, and have in the past, drink every night. I could spend my nights on the couch or hanging with friends.

 While any and all of these are enjoyable in the short term, where is it going to get me?

 Even if I changed my training - decided to shrug off the onerous mantle of progressive strength and conditioning - where I have to put in time, effort, and planning - with the expectation of doing a set amount of work each session - in exchange for something less structured that would let me get away with a varying level of commitment, and a lifestyle that called for less discipline   - what then?

 Maybe I could stay in relatively good shape - whatever that means.

 Maybe I could still make some progress and get stronger.

 Would I be able to coach others to better things - coach them through the difficulties of lifting and share with them the value of strength and the lessons learned in the training room?

 Would I be able to keep young athletes from injuries that could effect the rest of their lives while helping them perform their best?

 What could I teach or share about hard work or being committed to excellence?

 Would I have any passion or purpose in what I was doing?

 Perhaps I'd be just another guy selling BS with a cool job.

 Here's the deal, O, gentle reader...

 We don't need any more mediocrity.

 We don't need any more weakness.

 What we need are more people who are willing to drag themselves from the morass to become something better.

 We need people courageous enough to fight for greatness.

 We need people who will take control of their lives and refuse to be told "it's all downhill from here, or whatever other BS gets jammed between their ears about their health, strength, and fitness.

 It is not over. You're not too old. You're not too weak. You're not too uncoordinated. You're not too fat. you're not too out of shape. You're not too injured. And, Good Lord - You are not broken.

 We need bold souls who will stand against the ever encroaching darkness of ease, comfort, and convenience - leading to apathy which bleeds the strength and self sufficiency from our hearts, minds, and bodies, and replaces them with fear, weakness, and dependency.

 We need people who will refuse this downward spiral, rise to the challenge of pursuing excellence and become examples to themselves and those around them that there is a better way.

 Your Alter Ego is waiting, anxious and restless, ready to take you into a glorious new territory.


 To Victory
 - Eric