How to Program Your Mind for Physical Excellence (Part 1 of 3)

by Doug Jackson, M.Ed.,CSCS

How important do you think "proper mindset" is for anyone who wants to achieve a particular goal?

This is a question I've examined now for close to a decade. First, I re-examined and reset my own mindset as I went from a true weakling to winning consecutive powerlifting contests. Later, I studied sport and exercise psychology in the academic setting. Most recently, I've taken the theory I learned in academia and applied it to my personal training clients.

If I asked a room full of people the question, "What makes some succeed in their fitness attempts, while others fail?", a common reply is "genetics".

Hmmm...genetics certainly plays a role in what our total potential is. But I believe that our mindset is a far more important variable. Imagine this realistic scenario which intertwines genetics and mindset:

A girl (or boy) of seven or eight comes home from school sobbing. When her Mom asks why, the girl says "I was in gym class and no one wanted me on their team because I was the heaviest one in class."

The mother, trying to support her daughter and frustrated with the pain her daughter is feeling explains, "Honey, I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. Look at me, I'm overweight too. And your grandmother is as well. You'll just never be smaller like the rest of the girls. It's just the way we are in this family, it's our genetics."

Here's what the little girl has just experienced:

1) Immense emotional pain associated with physical exercise

2) From her mother, she only heard "genetics" (ie. there's nothing we can do about this, it's just the way we are).

Imagine how this experience and this idea will impact this little girl's particular beliefs about exercise and her own body.

Isn't realistic to think that many children in this situation will try to avoid exercise like it's the plague? Remember, she will want to avoid that emotional pain.

Isn't the idea that her genetics, not her actions, are the main determinant of fitness a very disempowering thought?

The typical result will be a life of inactivity, and poor diet. Because, hey, what does it matter? It doesn't matter what I do because I have crappy genetics.

This mindset leads to a downard spiral where her genetics, which may very possibly not be the best, are compounded by poor choices.

It's very hard for people, on their own, to reverse this mindset and trend. They will typically live life in an unsatisfied state. In addition, they will likely pass all of this on to their children. They will be poor role models, they will subconsciously give their children negative messages about exercise and make them feel like victims of their genetics and metabolism. And the children will typically not be very educated about nutrition.

Do you know families like this? Is this occurring at any level in your family?

I give this scenario, not out of judgement, but out of concern. This happens every day. The mother, while trying to make her daughter feel better, equipped her with a mindset which will often be disastrous for her future actions and health.

Let me leave with a equation to ponder. It's called the TFAR formula and is taught by coaches who focus on human potential.

1) Our thoughts lead to our feelings

2) Our feelings lead to our actions

3) Our actions lead to our results.

The take home message of this is that our thought process is the foundation of our results. So mindset plays a critical and under-appreciated role in our achievement of fitness-related goals.

Take some time right now to examine the beliefs you currently associate with fitness. How do they impact you?

In part two of this article series, I'll teach you how each of us have generated our current beliefs about health and fitness. Remember these beliefs have a major impact on our results.

In part three, I'll teach you strategies to reset your current beliefs and make them more empowering. With an improved set of beliefs, you'll have an even greater foundation on which to build your own path to physical excellence.

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