Less than two weeks. That’s all we have left. For many of you this will be your first venture onto a stage. For many others this will be your 5th, 10th, or 15th+ time onstage. It doesn’t matter how many you’ve done or how you placed or hope to place. We all have one underlying variable in common…commitment!
Commitment is what turns dreams into realities. Your choice is what you want, and your commitment is what allows you to have it. This is the process:
1) You look to see what you want.
2) You choose it.
3) You do it.
4) You COMMIT to it.
5) You accomplish it!
Commitment makes choice real. Commitment says: “This is going to happen, and I am going to be the one who causes it to happen.” Commitment does not make or accept excuses. Commitment finds a way to work around obstacles and setbacks. Commitment understands that “Sometimes life gets in the way”, but doesn’t let life derail you. Commitment means doing what you say you will do and having what you say you will have, regardless of your circumstances and surroundings. You can commit to anything: a person, a job, a way of life, losing 10 pounds, or a way to spend your weekend. It doesn’t matter what you commit to. What matters is the relationship you develop with yourself by committing to what you want. For those individuals who have a strong tendency to NOT get what they want, commitment is that extremely uncomfortable and many times painful endeavor that stops many of us. The uncomfortable part is the push you have to exhibit or demonstrate. The painful part is letting go of your inhibitions, fears, apprehensions, and attachments that are holding you back.
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Without commitment there is one elementary truth – the truth of fear. Your fear is your reality. We’re all afraid of the unknown. We all wonder what’s on the ‘other side of the door’. Let’s take a quick look at the four types of individuals who approach the door.
For many, we approach the door, and walk away without ever knocking. Those are the ‘wishers’. They ‘wish’ they could do this or that. They ‘wish’ they could get in shape. They ‘wish’ they could compete. But they never will. Their fear dominates not only their conscience but their subconscious. They are destined to always be ‘wisher’s’. They see what they want but they don’t choose it. They can’t even comprehend the committing to it, and they simply won’t do it, therefore nothing gets accomplished. Pathetic.
Many individuals approach the door timidly and quietly knock but quickly walk away. They are the ‘wanter’s’. They want to get in shape or want to compete. They’ll initially start doing what needs to be done but quickly come to the realization that this endeavor is too difficult. The wanter’s make excuses. The wanter’s convince themselves that the end result is not worth the effort. Many people want, but few actually do. The ‘wanter’s’ have a tendency to skip or leave out steps. They see what they want and they choose it, but they don’t commit to it. Without commitment, they don’t do and accomplish it. Again, pathetic.
Some individuals approach the door and knock loudly but step back. They are the ‘almoster’s’. The almoster’s are recognized by the fact they continually say they’re going to compete but never do. The almoster’s stay on the outside looking in. The almoster’s have the physical capabilities by lack the mental discipline to carry through to the end. The almoster’s simply bail. They quit. They fail on themselves. They can’t hold diet. They skip cardio. The only thing worse than no potential is unfulfilled potential. Almoster’s are loaded with unfulfilled potential. The almoster’s are characterized by their talk. They show up every day at the gym, training hard. They tell you what they’re going to do, they choose it, but that’s as far as they go. “Next time…” the almoster’s constantly say. Pitiful.
A few individuals boldly approach the door, open it, walk in, but then just stand in the foyer. They go no further. They might look around, but they never step outside of that small room. That small room is their comfort zone. These individuals are the ‘doer’s’. But what they don’t understand is that their ‘doing’ didn’t get the job done! They feel a since of pride for what they’ve done because they not only talked the talk but walked the walk…or so they thought. The doer’s will step onstage but not be at their best potential. The doer’s settle for “That’s good enough” when training or doing cardio. The doer’s listen to friends and family who know nothing about a competitive look and fool themselves into thinking they look great. Sometimes the doer’s don’t seek professional help. They think they can do it alone. They don’t want to pay for expert knowledge and experience. Yes, the doer made it to the stage but could have done a lot better. The doer’s do everything but commit. They think that simply by showing up they’ve demonstrated commitment. Wrong. That would be akin to ‘showing up’ for class every day at college and expecting to graduate Magna Cum Laude – it’s not gonna happen! Going through the motions will not get you first place or put you in a position to win. Showing up will get you to the “Also-Ran” position…you know – that position in horse racing where the first place horse wins, the second place horse places, and the third place horse shows…and all the other horses ‘also ran’…they’re the unforgettables. The ones no one pays attention to or remembers.
Finally, we have those select few individuals who BREAK THROUGH the door. They’re the ‘BUSTER’s’. The BUSTER’s are the individuals who know what they want, are willing to go after it, do it, stay committed to it, and walk off with that sense of accomplishment that no one could ever take from them. They’ve achieved their absolute best conditioning. They endured the torturous cardio sessions in a carb-depleted state. They skipped functions, gatherings, and events to accomplish this task they chose. They sucked it up, powered through, and hung in there. The BUSTER’s break through plateaus and sticking points (allowing for genetic constraints, of course). The BUSTER’s take no prisoners. The BUSTER’s never retreat. The BUSTER’s don’t surrender. The BUSTER’s will finish a set, catch their breath, and then do two more. The BUSTER’s say, “You may look better than me, but you damn sure won’t outwork me!” They are the true champions regardless of placement!
Two weeks. For all of you first-time competitors, learn what you can accomplish. Do not settle for less than your best. Two weeks. You can eat in two weeks. You can enjoy life again in two weeks. You can take your wife out in two weeks. You can visit with your children again in two weeks. But right now you have a mission. Not a purpose, as a bodybuilding/fitness/physique/figure/bikini contest doesn’t define you. It shouldn’t. Bodybuilding is NOT your purpose. The world will not care what you did 24 hours after the contest is over. Keep it in perspective. This is simply something you’re choosing to do. This is your mission. Be the BUSTER you always knew you could be. Power through. Be Perfect Today. Peace…
Doc
