Fit for Life: What Prevents Success?
Matt Espeut, Health & Lifestyle Contributor
Fit for Life: What Prevents Success?
Two people can start the same job simultaneously, yet one climbs the ladder and stays in the same position forever. In my world, sometimes two friends will join the gym together, and one gets incredible results, and the other, not so much. All students have the same curriculum in school, yet some pass and some fail.
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I look at the franchise I am part of and notice some owners are crushing it and running a successful business, and some are struggling to pay their bills. We all have access to the same coaches and resources, so why is there such a big difference in success between locations?
Are there external factors that play a part in our success or failure? Absolutely. The economy, your demographic, and in rare cases, a pandemic arises and causes havoc. However, we can still thrive and overcome obstacles when we are resourceful and willing to pivot and course-correct a lousy situation.
I am a big advocate of self-awareness and looking within before I blame others and external circumstances for my lack of success. I grew up pretty poor, wasn't great in school, never went to college, and ended up in prison; however, others have been through the same things or worse and still prevailed and became ultra-successful, so what could I have done better to be in a better situation?
Now don't get me wrong, I am doing better than a lot of people out there, have come a long way, and am grateful for the life I lead, but I set my standards high, never get complacent, and measure success by what the top 10% are doing. Comparison is the thief of joy, so I don't compare myself to others; I measure success by what others have achieved and what's possible. There is a big difference there, so don't get "compare & measure" confused.
As I was driving the other day listening to a podcast, I started thinking of the deciding factors for success on various levels…..finances, fitness, etc., and it hit me. Success is there for the taking. It isn't lack of opportunity that prevents success; it's what we "let" into our lives that prevents success. You could check the box on numerous factors that enable success; however, sometimes eliminating factors will expedite the process.
Here are a few examples of what we allow into our lives that prevent us from reaching the pinnacle and need to be eliminated.
Fear. This emotion is around the corner with every decision we make. Change is hard, and when we fear to change, it becomes impossible, yet growth halts when we don't change. Remember, if we want growth from where we are, we can't continue doing the same things. Therefore, change is inevitable. We fear changing jobs, investing money, delegating responsibilities to others, and joining a gym, but change is necessary for growth. When we let fear make decisions for us, we prevent ourselves from moving to the next level.
Faith (lack of). We can sometimes get pessimistic and lose faith in the process and people. With so many people that lack integrity and are willing to screw people over, many have lost faith in humanity. When someone inquires about our program and doesn't join, I know they don't have faith in us to help them. Despite all the social proof and our track record, some still need more faith to come on board and try it. I have an 80/20 rule that has me believe that 80% of people are good and will do the right thing, and 20% are complete a-holes that are just in it for themselves and will do whatever it takes, regardless of it being right or wrong. That gives me faith. Remember, we can't do it alone!!
Procrastination. Success loves speed and hates wishy-washy decision-making. When an opportunity comes your way, and you are indecisive, sometimes that opportunity diminishes. When you know something will put you in a better place; you keep kicking that can down the road, prolonging the agony. Let's take fitness, for example. I have a question on our onboarding form that asks when was the last time you were happy with your fitness and health, and some people give answers of upwards of 10-15 years ago. It blows my mind that folks procrastinate in improving their health and wellness, but we assure them they are in the right place and will get results as long as they stay committed. It's never too late to start, but you need to start now and stop procrastinating and putting off important tasks.
Opinions. Everyone has them, yet few are based on facts. Listening to talking heads and pessimistic people raises doubt that we are doing the right thing. Most of the time, people giving their opinions are broken and out of shape, yet they are experts in everything. Don't let people without success leave your head with doubt and negative thoughts. Other people's views instill limiting beliefs and fill us with head trash. Listen to the experts with a proven track record and emulate success. When someone gives you their opinion, and you didn't ask for it, move on and trust your instincts and the facts that back your decisions.
Bad habits. Seeking instant gratification, eating poorly, lacking sleep, being dehydrated all day, wasting time surfing social media, and overindulging are all bad habits that will hold us back on an emotional, physiological, and physical level. These things all contribute to poor mindset and energy levels throughout our days. None of what I mentioned will make success any easier, and we need to be removed or severely limited from our lives.
Remember, no lack of opportunity prevents us from becoming successful; it's some of the things we let into our lives. Sometimes it's not a matter of doing more or adding things but eliminating or letting go of things.
Conquer fear as it's only False Evidence Appearing Real, have faith in humanity, don't let the 20% sway your decisions, stop procrastinating, make decisions and take action, eliminate some bad habits, and don't listen to people that are not currently in the position that you want to be in.
Committed to our success,
Matt