Dan John is always great to listen to.  He is a legendary strength coach for track and field athletes and remains a strong athlete well into his 60’s.  It’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about athletics and training athletes.  He also has a very humble approach that allows him to remain open to new learning without abandoning the tried-and-true.

As he points out: “You are the sum of your habits.”  This is true of every aspect of your life.  Take a look at where you are today.  If you’re happy with your current condition, you’re doing something right, keep up the great work!  If you’re not, then take a hard look at the habits that got you here.

Whining won’t get you there.  Wishing won’t get you there.  Setting goals won’t get you there.  Focus on your day-to-day habits is the only thing that will get you there.  It’s not the one big monster workout you do once a month when you’re feeling motivated that produces monster results, it’s the hundreds of small daily workouts that you drag yourself to whether or not you’re feeling it that, repeated over time, produce monster results.  Consistency kicks ass!

But only if you’re doing the right things consistently!  As my favourite demotivator poster says about consistency: “It’s only a virtue if you’re not a screw up!”

If you’re consistently missing workouts or eating treats, you will produce results, just not the ones you were hoping for.  As Dan John recommends, you should “embrace the obvious:” if you’re not the picture of fitness you hope to be, it’s because your habits don’t support it.  Change your habits, change your life.  Easy?  No.  But simple and obvious.

Nothing worth having in life is easy.  It’s the uphill battles that forge your character.