Runner running straight to camera, on the road, selective focus on shoes
“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training.”
You’re an athlete, so it’s time to start acting like one. Being a complete athlete requires a 360-degree approach and 24/7 commitment. In my world, there’s no such thing as compromise: training is life and life is training.
So how do you go about making yourself a complete athlete? Start by viewing yourself as one. Change your mindset and start viewing your life and lifestyle through the lens of an athlete. The main pillars involved in this are diet, exercise habits, sleep patterns and relationships. Let’s look at each of these individually.
When it comes to diet, how’s yours? Most of us are aware of the right foods we should be eating, but don’t always possess the willpower to comply. That’s OK. Perfection is a road, not a destination. But seeing yourself as an athlete will help you choose those foods that are consistent with your new persona.
Exercise is clearly the cornerstone in every athlete’s life. But along with your formal training plan, start making other adaptations that will help you progress towards your goals. For instance, I have a pull-up bar and sit-up mat in my office and cycle between sets of pull-ups, push-ups, dips and sit-ups throughout the course of the day. Think of what you can do to incorporate exercise into your 9-to-5.
We’ve all heard about the importance of quality sleep for optimal athletic performance, but how many of us have actually taken measures to implement positive changes? Many times this comes down to making sacrifices. Shall I go out late with the lads, or return home at a reasonable hour? Again, these are decisions that come easier once you’re viewing yourself as an athlete.
Finally, the quality of the relationships you keep influences the likelihood of your success. Surround yourself with other likeminded individuals and they will help to reinforce those positive behaviours you’re working to implement.
Reader Question: “How do you maintain a positive mindset, even when you’re hurting?” – Steve Jones, via email
Answer: I maintain a positive mindset because I am hurting. Instead of dreading the hurt, I celebrate it as my body’s way of purging itself of weakness and growing stronger. Once I learned to embrace the pain, I’ve discovered a certain magic in misery. Invertible, the hurting has always subsided and the pain been transformed into power. My guidance to you is to alter the way you think when the going gets tough and view this hurting as a good thing. For soon you will be stronger!
