[Mahler]

A short while back, JP sent me a private message and reminded me that I was nearing 1,000 posts in his forum. Over at Men's Health it became a tradition to post something special when you reached a milestone post. That tradition has not caught on as much here, but since JP took the time to remind me, I figure it was a command performance. Besides, who the hell wants to disappoint such a nice guy. So, here it is, for what it's worth, my 1,000th post here at the JP Fitness Forum.

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Mahler’s Monday Morning Motivator # 83 – Obsession
JP FITNESS 1,000TH POST

Good morning, guys.
Most of the people reading this post have made some sort of commitment. They have determined that a course of action was necessary to improve their lives; improve their health; improve their well-being. Many have followed through on that commitment to a degree which surprises even them. They take stock of their lives, perhaps a look in the mirror, and maybe a little soul searching, and find that things are better than they used to be to a lesser or greater degree. There may be an element of pride and a sense of accomplishment in the changes that have been made, the transformations that have occurred. Why not? Nothing achieved through hard work, determination and sheer will is less than phenomenal, if only to the person who achieved it. The world around us is populated by the negative, the “I can’t do,” the “I wish I could,” the “if I had the time.” This is the mantra of those who have given up before they have even tried. These are the quitters, the makers of excuses and the fabricators of self-defeat.

When you have pursued a fitness or nutrition path for any period of time, you will eventually hear the dreaded word from their lips. It will sneak into a conversation. It will surface in a friendly chat. It will raise its head in an offhand remark. And, what is more frustrating when you hear it is that it will often come from the very lips of a friend, a co-worker, a family member or a loved one. Oh, it’s usually cloaked in a mantle of humor or the trappings of a jest, but the meaning is there, and often the intent is keenly felt. The word, quite simply, is “obsession.”

When you hear it, you can easily slough it off as one of those uniformed remarks that people make, but deep down it can plant the seeds of concern. Tucked away in the back of your mind it can work its will to undermine your resolve. Registered in the file cabinet of your life it sits there waiting to be accessed again and again, to fuel your doubts.

The dictionary has several interesting takes on the word. The primary definition, a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling. The secondary definition, a compelling motivation. The first is often what is behind the comments from others. For me, the second is the way I see my fitness journey. It’s all a matter of perspective. If you think you are obsessed, chances are you have already crossed the line. What form that obsession takes is up to you.

- If you can lift heavy weights to build your strength, but cannot take the time to help a neighbor lift a piece of furniture, you are obsessed.

- If you have developed your speed and can run like the wind, but cannot run to help a friend in need, you are obsessed.

- If you are fit and trim and eat all the right foods, but cannot have a piece of cake to celebrate an important occasion with your family, you are obsessed.

- If you have, through many hours of hard work, increased your endurance, but cannot endure the time to listen to a loved one tell you about their day, you are obsessed.

- If you have strong arms, but cannot stoop to pick up a child and enfold it in your embrace, you are obsessed.

- If you have built your body into a well-oiled machine and act like one, you are obsessed.

On the other hand , if you use what you have built through all the hours of hard work. If you take that strength of body, mind and spirit. If you harness that speed and endurance and use it in ways that you never thought possible, you know what? You are still obsessed.

But what a magnificent obsession.

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In Fitness & Friendship,
Mahler