I particularly don’t like to just ramble and post lousy content, that’s not my style. But this is straight unedited (maybe reviewed so it doesn’t look like a six year old wrote it). But I’ve pretty much had enough with mediocrity these days. Coming from the strength world, there tends to be more and more of this across the platform, fitness industry, and other aspects of the field.
Why do you as a consumer accept this? Demand more from your coach, trainer, business, clients, etc.
What really sparked this for me, was watching people train at the gym. People are just happy being unhappy.
They figure, a few weeks of this, and a few weeks of that, and I’ll be in better shape or health. While your health markers might improve slightly, can you maintain these markers for the rest of your life? Will you keep going when the going gets tough?
As a competitive powerlifter, I will tell you firsthand, that the most common thing I get is people asking me if I get tired of training, demanding more from my body, giving up social aspects of my life, or even losing some relationships in the process.
My answer is a resounding, “HELL NO”.
Why?
I’m at the point in my life, where if someone can’t grasp the aspect of trying to be great, the best, or have the mindset to work their ass off for something…I don’t want them in my life.
For what? To bring me down a notch? To what some people call reality?
No thanks.
Reality is realizing that 99% of people walk through the motions every day. They strive for nothing and live banking on everything to just fall into place.
I’m by no means where I want to be (both professionally and athletically), but some of the greatest minds and people took a long time to get where they wanted to be. That’s just part of the process.
This is why I love training and powerlifting so much. The parallel with life is perfect. The harder you work, the more you get, but there is only so much you can do before you start to burn up and fry the system. The work has to be consistent, and ever evolving.
Dave Tate has said it best, that once someone is locked in, that there is no fixing that. And I finally get that. Like TRULY get it. There can always be more weight added to the bar. That’s just the mindset of an athlete, and unless you are an athlete (or a ruthless business owner), you will probably NEVER get that. And you can’t just be a run of the mill athlete. I’m not talking about the guy playing pick up ball. I’m talking about the kid at the gym shooting 100 free throws every morning and evening, training, and preparing to walk on the D1 program.
“My home. My sanctuary. My therapist. My PR’s. Something no one can say they gave me or ever take away from me.”
We’re at a point where having a good mentor is going to be what develops and sets you up for success. As an athlete, many times this is going to be a coach or a close friend. For others, it may just be good parenting, something that is desperately needed these days. Mediocrity is nurtured. From an evolution standpoint, it shouldn’t come naturally. How else would our species have survived?
Being around students and people that go to the gym and see little to no progress, it frustrates me when people question what I do as an athlete. Nine times out of ten, you’re going to see that the qualities that make a great athlete, also make a good person, student, employee, business owner, etc. They understand work ethic, consistency, and hard work.
I commonly get told, “Imagine what your body is going to be like when you’re 50 or 60 years old. Won’t your body be destroyed?”
Indeed, it probably will be pretty beat up.
But I’m willing to sacrifice that. My common response to such a statement above is, “I would much rather wear my body to pieces by the time I’m 50, than watch it rust away until 70.”
The whole reason I went into the health and fitness field, was that I am amazed by what the body can do and become. I work with it daily with clients and seeing them rejuvenate their lifestyles.
While I might be on the far end of the spectrum in terms of training, I never want to be disabled or unable to do something because I let my body go to waste. This is just another level of mediocrity that we have begun to deal with as a society.
Challenge yourself. Dig deep, Find a passion. Surround yourself by people that truly want to be better and overachieve on everything they do. Understand that greatness (at anything) takes time, and that things will not come quickly.
