OPINION

Physical fitness, like everything else, doesn’t just happen.

It is the result of actions taken. And there is the biggest clue to succeeding with your fitness goals. Action.

You can think about your fitness
goals, you can envision them in your head and even meditate on them … and you should, but that’s only half the equation. Until you take action you will never bring your vision from the world of “imagination” into the world of form. In other words, you must “turn on the spigot if you want the water to flow”… you can’t just sit there and think about it.

And, once you do, that’s when momentum rises up to meet you. What seemed like an impossible task initially, picks up steam as it builds on its own energy of action. Like a bank account, it compounds what you put into it. It multiplies your energy output.

Momentum is the result of taking action. Just as an avalanche builds on itself as it roars down the mountain, so, too, does momentum. Pairing your actions with momentum is the most efficient way to use energy towards accomplishing your goals. With this energy powerhouse on your side, things get easier and easier.

You suddenly realise it’s not about how hard you work at something one day or through one session but about how hard you perform day after day, week after week, month after month and year after year. It’s about consistent and persistent effort, about building on each success you experience and using that energy to grow it bigger.

It’s about keeping your momentum engine running and that takes focused effort. That effort comes from you … your energy input is what fuels momentum and your energy input comes from the actions you take.

Whatever stops you along the way to your goals will cause you to lose momentum. Stop too long and your momentum may be completely gone and you’ll have to start your engine up and build momentum all over again.

This starting and stopping is wearing for most people because starting is the hardest part and to continually put themselves in a situation that requires them to begin again over and over is to set themselves up for failure. Eventually, they just stop starting and give up altogether.

The quickest and most efficient way to achieve any goal is to keep momentum on your side and make use of this free “compound interest” you are drawing. The only way to do that is to keep it flowing.

In other words … allow momentum to do the work for you just as your money works for you and draws interest when invested.

Momentum is one of the strongest tools you can use to reach any goal in life and weight loss and fitness are no exceptions. But you can’t benefit from this empowering flow of energy if the faucet is turned off.

Keep your tap turned on. If you stop for any reason on your way to your fitness goals, get back on track and get that tap flowing as soon as possible. Get whatever momentum you have left in motion again and working for you.

Remember, it’s much harder to stop the train and start it again then it is to keep it rolling.

Discipline yourself daily and put your share of energy into the equation by taking any action steps required to reach your health and fitness goals (such as going to the gym or working out at home) and watch as momentum kicks in and makes things easier and easier to accomplish and more enjoyable to do.

– Carolyn Hansen is co-owner of Anytime Fitness