Focus on Achievement
Often even great ideas fail. Not for the typical reasons we tend to think of, such as poor execution, inflated costs or even bad marketing. Nope. The single greatest cause behind an idea failure is complexity. When something is too complicated, people tend to ignore, disregard or simply abandon it. Let me explain.
A while ago I was looking at new cell phones, trying to decide which one I should buy. I wanted something that had all the bells and whistles and would cut down on the other "stuff" I had to carry around with me.
I carefully compared options of the different phones and after an extensive search settled on a model that seemed to have everything.
The phone was cool, the feature list impressive and even the price was right. I went to the local phone store, put down my money and bought my new toy. That's when the problems began.
Nothing about the phone made sense. I couldn't dial a number without first wading through a 200-page manual to figure out how to set the time. The camera required a degree in engineering to use and entering somebody's name took so long it would be easier to memorize all the phone numbers than try and enter them in the phone.
After 3 hours I gave up. I went back to the store and exchanged my new phone for a model that was easier to operate.
What does that have to do with fitness? Much of it is far more complex than it has to be.
The very next day I was talking to a friend in a coffee shop who's wanted to lose weight for a few years, but never took the steps to do it. He told me one of the reasons he was so reluctant. "It's too much" he said. "I have to change everything I do, and I'm not ready for something so complicated."
"What do you mean complicated?" I said. "It's simple. You just balance your protein, fats and carbs, monitor your total caloric intake, combine a mild resistance training program with light cardio and..." Oh my God, he was SO right. It can be VERY complicated; and so many fitness magazines, websites and television shows don't do anything to dispel that terrible fear.
I thought about what he had said for days before I realized there was a solution for him. I'm going to tell you what I told him, but for the remainder of this article you have to give me your full attention. Turn off the radio, mute the TV and let your phone calls go to voice mail.
I told him it's all about focus.
He was going to have to concentrate on ONE thing and work it day and night. I told him he couldn't stop working on that one thing until he was comfortable with it, and it had become as much a routine as eating or sleeping. I told him to quit letting his attention drift from one thing to another, or he would never stay with anything long enough to see results.
"So should I buy a diet book? Join a gym? Take a class? Tell me what to do!" He said. "Absolutely not" I replied. "It's up to you to decide what you need to focus on. I'm here to provide expert advice and guidance on the fitness things YOU decide are important."
The date I told him to focus was March 5, 2001. In the years since I gave him that advice, his first goal was to quit smoking. That was the only thing he concentrated on for 6 months and he kicked the habit. He then focused on losing fat (he did) and changing his career (did that too). Today he's running his own successful business and by his own admission is, "happier than I've ever been." What seemed overwhelming and completely out of reach before became a reality. All it took was a simple action.
Focus.
You can do the same if you keep it simple. What are you going to focus on?
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CAUTION: Check with your doctor before beginning any diet or exercise program.
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