Mahler’s Monday Morning Motivator # 124 – Of Warriors and Worriers

[Mahler]

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Mahler’s Monday Morning Motivator # 124 – Of Warriors and Worriers


Of Warriors and Worriers


Okay! You finally did it. You made the commitment. You turned your life around or at least you’re in the process of doing a one-eighty. Maybe you lost a spare tire or possibly something more substantial like the starboard side of the Goodyear blimp. It could be that you’ve gained a little lean mass or that you now have Vin Diesel looking for another line of work. You may now be able to say that you can outrun your kids or that you can leave a flaming trail on the pavement and Nike is knocking at your door for your endorsement. How about that bike that you pulled out of the garage and now ride several times a week in the Tour de Suburbia.

Whatever it might be, you are now hooked. You have bought into a new way of life and you have made some noticeable changes. Friends and co-workers begin to pass a compliment or two your way. They tell you how much better you look or ask if you’ve been working out. What the hell, you’ve even upgraded your wardrobe. You have found a new passion and you jump at any chance to talk about it and you are ready to sell it to the world. After all, look at what these changes have done for you. Come on now, those around you have just got to be jumping at the chance to hear how you have altered your life. Envious multitudes must be out there ready to hang on every word waiting to hear you dispense the secrets of your transformation. Get ready! They don’t want to hear it. The world is not listening.

It’s a pretty natural impulse. You see a good movie or read a good book and you want to talk to people about it. You go on a vacation, buy a new car or have a great night out and you want to tell someone. It’s akin to that same driving force that compels aunt Clara to give you a complete medical history and a rundown on every new ache, pain and bowel movement at the family picnic. So, when you have made such a major change in your life, you think that someone just might be interested in hearing about it and, what’s more, embrace that change and make it their own. Well, I am here to tell you, it just doesn’t work that way.

People are not all that ready to take on the challenges that you seem to have attacked with gusto. They are not prepared and even less inclined to do what you do even if they admire the results. And, whether or not they do, does that change your perspective in any way? Should their apathy toward your lifestyle make any difference? You are waging and will continue to wage a valiant campaign. You, my friend, are a warrior. Your battlefield might be in the gym or in the pool, on the pavement or the side of a cliff, on the mats or hanging from the rings. What’s more, if you are truly a warrior in your chosen endeavor, the fact that others do or do not wish to enter your arena should be of little consequence. Others may listen with amusement or even interest to your war stories, but to expect to recruit them to your army of the fit just doesn’t happen very often.

There is a reason for this lack of patriotism in support of your cause. It’s really quite simple. While you are a warrior, they are worriers. In response to your call to the front lines, you will hear all the painful reasons why they cannot possibly join you. They are worried that they will not have the time or that they will take time away from their other pursuits. They are worried that they will injure themselves and then parade before you all the excuses from bad backs to sore knees to that funny mole on the back of their neck, beginning to sound like aunt Clara giving you the latest updates on her conditions. They are worried that they will not succeed, so why even try.

Make no mistake. You are a member of a magnificent minority. You wage a daily battle for your quality of life. Your leadership in this battle is not diminished if others do not follow or, by their own choices, become casualties. You’ve made your choice to be a warrior and not a worrier, and you have no time to look back.

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Have a Great Week

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[Iamjennmedic]

Awesome MMMM
I have a feeling this is the start of a great week
Thanks John

[fayman]

Great post, John!

This rings true with ~99% of the people I've talked to outside of this forum.

Which is why I come here!

[pjb923]

Another great motivator, and so true to many of us on these boards.

Out of all the people I work with, there are only 1 or 2 that I can really talk to about training. A lot of people around the office know I go to the gym on a regular basis, but don't have the slightest clue what I do there, and are not at all interested in finding out.

[GG300]

Reading your post brought back the memories of the glazed over stares I would get everytime I started talking about the gym to my friends. Now I get it all out on this forum. Thanks for another great MMMM.

[buster]

Sadly,I find this to be all to often true. Believe it or not I find this to be true even in the gym. Most people don't want to talk about diet (i.e. sacrifice) or doing anything more than steady state cardio. Go figure...



Another great MMMM John.

[BFG]

nice one join but if you can inspire one person along the way to achieve then that is the best feeling in the world. YOu have inspired many and shall constinue to do so.

I bet there are loads on this board who have pushed that extra pound to keep up with you and plenty others who just read and remain anonymous in the great abys of the internet that will have had a wake up call cos of yours and others achievements

[RacerBill]

This is one of the best yet, John.

I have had coworkers ask me what I did to lose the weight. If I'd said I took a magic pill that made it all happen overnight, I would have had their complete attention. As soon as I mentioned working out, eating veggies and not sugary treats, they lost interest entirely. Change is hard, and making those changes stick is even tougher, but only those who've been there know the rewards are worthwhile.

[rem1956]

excellant John. Thanks.

[Blackjack]

Yea, I ran into this on the golf course quite a bit as well and I always use the rule that I don't pass on advice at all on the course and only when someone asks on the driving range. I pretty much stick to that regarding fitness and nutrition - only when someone asks, otherwise I keep my trap shut. I find that everyone knows what it takes to lose weight &/or get into better shape. It's the committment, the mental aspects, that seperates us from them.

[OldGuy]

Very good, John. I know too many people like this. Sadly.

[RobLL]

One of the reasons I continue with Rep Reboks is that you get to talk to people there. Likewise swimming. My wife and I have ended up with lots of friends from our swimming-sauna days, a few of them close and long time. But nobody talks to nobody (almost) in the weight lifting part of the gym. Editor of the local paper, in his column, noted the same thing, and this is in a small town. Any explanations. BTW, our gym, including weight room, is always polite, people accommidate one another, its a rare day when anyone experiences otherwise. Rob

[kingkop182]

Superb post john - very true indeed

[Lisa~]

This MMM rings true for me too Mahler. We are all fortunate to have found jpfitness. Even though family and friends may not elect to follow us on the road to health, it is still wonderful to find friends here with the same goals and enthusiasm.

Lisa

[milkman21]

Originally Posted by Mahler

It’s akin to that same driving force that compels aunt Clara to give you a complete medical history and a rundown on every new ache, pain and bowel movement at the family picnic.

Sounds like you're speaking from personal experience


Seriously though, that was one of the best motivators I've read. Great work, and many thanks!

[FlyinM]

Bump for the Prime Motivator

[Kojack]

Well done!

It's easier to make excuses than to exercise. It's easier to sit on a couch and eat twinkes while watching "Everybody Loves Raymond" than to do something active and "healthy".

Drive and determination cannot be taught or explained. Drive and determination are what propels us to our "daily battle".

Great work Mahler