“Oh, I could never do that…”

I’ve heard this many times before.

Oh, I could never do that…

And I always think the same thing: “if you say so.”

Maybe it’s running a marathon, losing X amount of pounds, quitting smoking, or touching their toes. Regardless, in these people’s minds, they could never do it.

And if that’s what you think, you’re right! It’ll never happen unless and until you change your mind about what’s possible – for you.

Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right. – Henry Ford

So, if you want to accomplish anything when it comes to your health and fitness, you need to believe that you can do it. And too often, we let doubt and fear prevent us from taking that critical first step in the right direction.

So, let me ask you a few questions…

• Would you be able to go on a walk for 5 minutes every day this week – “able” being the key word?
• Would you be able to drink one more glass of water per day than you usually do?
• Would you be able to tell at least one person that you’d like to quit smoking, or alcohol, or that other thing?
• Would you be able to commit to one minute of exercise per day to help you get loosened up?

Because one small step like this is all it takes to get started, and it always leads to the next step.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. – Lao-Tzu

So, if you see a story of so-and-so running a marathon at 80 years old, or some old guy holding a plank for hours at a time, or someone bending themselves into a pretzel with a smile on their face – remember that in every single case, this person got to where they are one small step at a time. And usually, they experienced less-than-ideal circumstances to get there.

Now, if you aren’t a runner and have never run a marathon, it’d be crazy to think that you could run 26.2 miles today – or even in a few months time. That’s just not a realistic or believable goal. However, it’s not so crazy to think that you could work up to running a recreational 5k race over the next few months with a goal of just finishing. Most people could accomplish that if they put their mind to it.

And here’s the cool part: once you’ve done something “impossible,” your eyes open up to all the new possibilities with your new-and-improved perception of your true potential.

All of a sudden, you start thinking, “I just did that…what else could I do?”

And then you’re planning to run that 5k a little faster next time. Or, maybe even thinking about running a 10k race. And if you keep it up, then eventually, you’ll start to think, “maybe I could run that marathon…lose all the weight…see my toes again…quit smoking…deadlift twice my bodyweight.”

But it all starts with that first step, which is predicated on getting your mind right. Easier said than done, but anyone can do it. Yes, even you.

Hint: ambitious goals and projects are much more manageable when you break them down into small chunks.

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Health-First Fitness Coach

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