Yesterday I talked about how we're never "off track" but we may just need a little redirection.
I used the analogy of a train, and a train is very rarely "off track" it just may not be heading in the right direction.
Life is always moving forward, it just may not be on the path that we want it on, so we have to set a clear plan, make adjustments, and execute.
Today, I was thinking about what I wanted to write about, and after several conversations yesterday about the "all or nothing" mentality, I wanted to bring that train in for another analogy.
We talk a lot about the famous Bruce Lee line of...
"Long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity."
We've heard that a lot and we nod are head at it, but why is that true?
Let's bring the train back in for another analogy...
Picture a big freight train, loaded with cargo, and it's getting ready to leave the station.
It takes a ton of energy (fuel) and effort for that train to get moving, it seems like forever before it gets up to speed.
But...
Once it's up to speed it also takes a lot for it to stop, and it's certainly not going to stop on a dime like a sports car.
We want to approach fitness like a freight train, not like a sports car.
Sports cars cut corners, speed up fast, but also stop fast.
They look cool (shiny object syndrome), but they get beat up fast and don't last as long as a freight train.
Your mind and body must function like a freight train.
You start small, dumping a lot of energy into it, building habit after habit, and you start to see a little movement, but not as much as you'd like.
Keep going!
Keep pouring energy (good food choices, exercise, mindset) into it, and you'll start to stack those positive habits on top of one another, and that's when things start to finally get going.
It's like all that energy it takes for a train to get going up to speed.
But...
Did you know on an average freight train going 55mph, it takes over a mile to stop?
That's the benefits of all the positive energy that went into it in the beginning.
It takes a lot for it to stop.
You're fitness and nutrition routines are the same way.
You pour a lot of energy into in the beginning trying to build those strong habits, you don't see much movement in the beginning, but as you start pouring more energy into it things start picking up steam, and as you continue to pour more energy into it things really start moving and it becomes this incredible force that is really hard to stop.
Get it?
In the beginning, it's very easy to stop a train that just started moving, but trying to stop that train that is moving fast is no joke.
So there you have it...
Two days in a row comparing this journey to a train.
Who would have thought?
Can I keep it going?
I'll have to see what I can think of on Thursday.
Kim will be chiming in with her piece tomorrow with most likely something that has nothing to do with trains :)
1% Better.
Dedicated to Your Success,
Doug Spurling