JUSTIFICATION

When it comes to fitness, it’s easy to show someone how to perform an exercise correctly or hand them a workout program. The real challenge lies in the mental aspect—the ability to shift your mindset to actually succeed. I've been through various fitness scenarios where the mental game was crucial, and I want to share some insights on that.

The focus of this discussion is JUSTIFICATION.

By justification, I mean the excuses we tell ourselves when faced with a decision, scenario, or life event. To make this clear, let me give you a simple example.

Imagine you’re at home after work, and your roommate walks in and asks, 

“Why aren’t you at the gym right now? You said you were going after work.”

You might respond with something like,

“It’s been a long day. I had to work later than usual, and I’m tired. I just want to relax.”

I've been in a similar situation, both as the person asking the question and as the one making the excuse. Sometimes, the response even comes with a bit of aggression, as if the person is upset for being called out.

If you know you need to go to the gym, get in your cardio, train for a competition, or stick to a specific diet, you must have the discipline to follow through. 

This discipline is directly related to how you respond to that little voice in your head that tries to convince you to take the easy way out.

The more you listen to that voice and choose the easy option, the easier it becomes to skip what you’re supposed to be doing. Eventually, you might not even realize you're doing it. That’s a dangerous place to be because, at that point, life is just passing by without any conscious direction.

However, if you can become fully aware of that voice and recognize it each time it tries to steer you away from your goals, you can train yourself to respond differently. Every time it happens, you can choose to get up and do what you’re supposed to be doing.

Over time, this will make maintaining discipline easier. This is the mindset you’re striving to achieve. So, the next time your roommate walks in and asks, 

“Aren’t you supposed to be at the gym?”

You can confidently reply,

“You know what? You’re right!”

Even if it ends up being a less-than-perfect workout, you’ll feel better afterward and be glad you made the effort.