How to turn something difficult into easy? We athletes must do it all the time to our bodies. We work hard to achieve stamina and make going fast look easy. What has puzzled me lately is how it’s so difficult to work on our mind and emotions when working on our body is not a problem? Training my body is totally in my comfort zone but training ‘me’ isn’t.

I have no problem standing in front of a mirror naked, having a good look at myself and saying I need to do more squats for my butt, arms exercises to stop those bat wings appearing and some sit ups to help stop the tummy from getting out of control.

I am completely in tune with my body and I know exactly what to do and when to do it. It’s like a walk in the park.

Then I had an idea. What if I’d apply this same training concept to the way I run my life “Think like an athlete and have an Athletic Mind Set”.

I turned my life circumstances into parts of my body (quite appropriate when you see where I placed them).

My arms became my life goals. How many repetitions would it take to make them look good and sculptured? Have I set out time to work on those goals?  Setting life goals gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation. It focuses your acquisition of knowledge, and helps you to organize your time and resources so that you can make the very most of your life. I’m now setting sharp, clearly defined goals and will get them as sculptured as my arms, with defined moves.

My stomach is the core of me. What do I value? How can I become the person I want to be? How may sit ups will it take to hold that strength inside of me so I can stand tall? Am I staying on track or have I lost my way……..Core strength is important because all of our movements are powered by our torso. The power of power. Length. Validity. Consistency. All play a part to encourage that six pack. Now I’m going to work on my internal six pack! Dispel all those negative thoughts and focus on what has to be done. I’m not skipping training on my emotional core any more! I’ll stick to the root of me. 5 sit ups, 10 sit ups, 20 sit ups…. whatever it takes to focus, focus, focus. Go through the pain.

My butt & legs are the hardest part of the body to define. My butt and legs move me so it is a fitting place for my next action, my presence. How much crap will I take today? Is someone going to trott all over my dreams? Oh no baby, oh no! 100 squats it may take to really make a mark, real deep heavy squats, powerful stuff for the legs to stop me from running away. Deal with what it is that you have in front of you or the consequence will be a bigger butt and heavy legs that will finally stop you from moving forward. Oh no. I will work through that pain. How about you?

Track your way through what it is that you need to achieve. I keep a record of my workouts in my diary on what I have done, how I felt and what more needs to be achieved in order to get my result.  I have now added my daily routines and my mind goals next to the physical ones.

Have a great week focusing your mind to what you know you must do.

~ Jennifer