Did the chicken or the egg come first?

The question really is…does it ultimately matter?

This thought occurred to me because of the cycle I see often going on when it comes to being frustrated by a lack of results from our hard work…

Being brutally honest, often we’ve created our current situation, one we don’t like, because of improper dieting and workout practices. You can try to say you’ve worked hard, eaten clean, whatever you want. But honestly, sometimes doing even too much of a good thing can backfire.

And then we’ve repeated those improper practices to dig ourselves more and more of a hole to crawl out of.

These practices have not only lead to our current situation we don’t like, but often also result in other bodily changes that now make it HARDER to see results.

And we blame these changes when we then can’t move forward.

But we almost have to recognize that while these changes do make it harder now, they are also something we’ve created that only we can fix.

This situation is what leads me to think of the “chicken or the egg situation.”

While yes, the imbalances, mobility restrictions, metabolic adaptions make it harder to lose or improve our lifts or runs, the reason we have them is also our previous improper practices.

So what we need to change is also why we struggle to make a change.

Ultimately there is one solution…

Even though we got away with something in the past…well we can’t keep doing it.

So ultimately changing those practices will reverse both our current situation and what is making moving forward even more challenging.

Aka what came first oddly doesn’t matter, but making a change does.

We need to really assess what we are doing and instead of defending it, find the flaws.

I think so often we say “We are doing that.”

Or find reasons what we’re doing should or does work, over seeing it as a POSITIVE we can improve something…that something is often.

Because if you’re doing everything right and NOT seeing results?

Well then you’re kind of screwed haha

But if you can find a flaw in what you’re doing, there is something you can work on.

Plus, the simple fact of the matter is…

Nothing works forever.

Our lifestyle is constantly changing and therefore so should our habits.

So instead of blaming something for being the reason you can’t move forward, find what may be perpetuating the issue and start to address that.

While there will be things outside of our control, we should work to control what we can control.

And then we can’t get caught up in what used to work.

We need to instead focus on ways to improve!
 So as you work toward new goals, don’t hold yourself back by even trying to defend what you were doing.

Don’t play the blame game. Or feel bad for something now not working.

Realize that the only way to move forward is to move forward with something new!

If you want to reach the highest level, you need to be obsessed.

Obsession really just means you’re willing to do what others won’t even when you don’t want to.

And yea sure, there is a dark side to obsession…honestly, like most things in life, there is a downside to them.

But I truly do believe we feared being called “obsessed” for our actions when those that would call us that are always people BELOW us…not those that have achieved more.

Didn’t know you were going to get even more attitude in season 4 did you?!

And I don’t mean that to sound as negative as it does.

We’ve all been in that place where we say “I can’t believe you do (insert thing here we feel we can’t do or don’t “want” to do).”

We do it even unintentionally.

But the simple fact is, to achieve “greatness” in any area of our life, we have to be a little unbalanced.

We have to sometimes stay up late. Get up early.

Skip a drink at happy hour.

But the thing is…we aren’t missing out.

We’re pursuing what really matters.

Life is a constant balancing act. And if we want one thing, there is ultimately ALWAYS going to be something you’re “missing out on.”

Heck you go on vacation and choose to go to the beach for an hour, you may “miss out” on the chance to see an extra sight. Or go on a specific hike.

We’re always constantly sort of sacrificing or trading one experience, one situation, one goal for another.

The key is remembering what we truly want and not being afraid to go after it.

Some things that help me be obsessed, in a good way of course…

#1: Remind myself of why “missing out” is good.

Everything comes at a cost. We just don’t complain about missing out if the cost isn’t too great. So some things are easier to miss out on than others based on their importance or value to us.

You’ll find that at times fueling your obsession is not a struggle. Your passion drives you to do it.

But at other times, well there will be times you feel the sacrifice.

But in that immediate “suffering” I remind myself of how this habit or action will matter long term.

It’s not easy to ignore the immediate gratification.

But reminding ourselves of the benefit of the specific action and not just the “joy” of our ultimate goal is key.

It puts the emphasis on acting right now.

#2: Don’t internalize. Assess where the judgement is coming from.

When someone reflects back an image of ourselves we don’t want to see, when they critique something we may even fear is a flaw, it’s hard not to just internalize the feedback and judge ourselves,

Being obsessed is…well…weird. It’s why not everyone excels at everything.

I would even argue it’s why most of us become elite in only very specific things…what we prioritize we value and practice to get good at…and everything simply can’t be a priority!

So we have to remember to be great at something, we may have to take judgement and, at times, feel like an outsider.

What we need to also remember to do is assess why someone is giving us this critique.

We need to be curious.

And we need to recognize that someone not going through the same thing may not understand.

Because I’m a curious person, when someone tells me something about me that is negative, I’m always curious as to where their judgment is coming from.

I assess their situation to better understand their judgement because I think it helps us filter the critiques.

Everyone is going to give their opinions. Some feedback will be valid and useful…others not so much.

Trying to understand more about who gave it and why will help us focus on the feedback that will actually move us forward.

#3: Find other obsessed people.

Honestly, feeling alone is often the hardest part. I know many of us see ourselves as lone wolves, and will very much want to be on our but sometimes that community of likeminded people, even just another person, can be key.

Having feedback, outside perspectives, people who may have even been there, can often help us get better results faster by avoiding mistakes they may have already made.

I think too, in a world where, being brutally honest, we often too often accept mediocrity for ourselves, being with other like-minded people to fuel your obsession can be key to helping you keep on the path through the ups and downs.

Heck, find people better than you that challenge you even.

SUMMARY:

Being obsessed means doing things other people don’t understand.

But in pursuit of our dreams and goals, there will be times we will do things we don’t want to do and do things others can’t or won’t.

This pursuit though is what can make you great. Do not fear your drive or hide it!

Realize though that in pursuit of greatest, there will also always be sacrifice. But in life, when we make one choice, we’re always missing out on the other opportunity. That’s just how it works!

So often the easy decision is just repeating the same habits and routines and patterns that haven’t moved us forward.

If we’re feeling challenged and uncomfortable often that means we are on the right track. That we are doing what we need to do.

If you’ve encountered times recently where you’ve wanted to give up…

DON’T!

Remind yourself of these things as you move into 2022 and plan to rock those results and move forward in ANY area of your life…

#1: Realize that what got you to this point, may stop working. Each phase of life, of a goal, may require new habits or routines or practices. Just because something worked in the past, and is now comfortable, doesn’t mean it will be what you need to take that next big leap forward. Don’t put up walls against reflecting on what is truly going on and what is truly needed.

#2: You need to embrace the hard. It’s easy to get caught up in how easy it seemed for someone else. But trust me, the best results in life come from the hardest struggles. And anyone who’s really achieved something has had their own set of struggles. Stop comparing. Prepare yourself for the challenges to come. Recognize them and own them. Then when things do pop up they won’t be near as bad because you’re prepared mentally for something hard to happen!

#3: Realize that sacrifice is at times necessary and you get to pick your suck. Often we weren’t happy where we were. And often through the growth, there will be times we want to give up because it’s hard. But ultimately one will get us to a better place while the other won’t. Either we can embrace the suck of staying stuck or we can embrace the suck of moving forward!

#4: Remind yourself why you started. And I don’t even just mean reminding yourself of your goal. I also mean reminding yourself of why you didn’t like where you used to be. It can be hard to FEEL the benefit of a goal we haven’t reached. But often reminding ourselves of the “pain” of where we were is still fresh enough to move ourselves forward.
Note why it’s worth it. In the moment we get caught up in the pain. In the thing we don’t like. But remind yourself why it is worth it to do what you love or to reach that goal. Even in these moments jot down one WHY to kick yourself out of seeking that immediate gratification. And then after, even consider ways you don’t have to handle this problem in the future!

#5: If you feel yourself putting up a wall, dig harder. It’s hard to look at ourselves and our habits honestly and want to make changes. It’s easier often to pretend like you’re doing everything right, when clearly something is up if you aren’t moving forward. If you feel yourself about to DEFEND something, pause your brain and realize that may be the exact thing you need to change. Dig deeper. Why are you truly attached to this? Why do you feel this habit or system or process is so perfect it can’t be improved? Often you’ll realize that something is holding you back from changing what you should!

SUMMARY:

Just remember setbacks, slip ups and mistakes are part of success.

And no journey forward will ever be easy.

So get ready to embrace the hard and recognize it means you’re doing what is needed to reach a goal you truly want or do something you really love.

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