Yesterday we had a discussion about consistency in training. That is obviously a key element in successful training, but there will come a time when it isn't enough.
What To Do When You're Not Motivated
Motivation and inspiration are often thought of as being the same. The fact is that inspiration most often comes from an external source while motivation always comes from within yourself (see articles by Anthony Robbins for more). This is where persistence comes into play.
There will come a time when you will be too tired to hit the gym. It is that very moment that you need to pull out your persistence behavior. Don't let yourself give in to the urge to skip your training session. Being persistent will build mental strength. Being persistent will take you to the next level.
Coupling this persistence with consistency will simply explode your results. The persistent behaviors you establish will take your training to places you never dreamed possible. People have achieved incredible things just by being persistent. You have to be persistent like the squeaky wheel.
What To Do When You Hit a Plateau
It is here where your persistence pays off te most. Do not give up. Do not be afraid to try some new approaches. Drop your weight lower and start the progression again. With persistence you will see that breaking through your plateau is not impossible.
Too many people simply give up and still too many others just bash their head into the plateau. This is not the right approach. A persistent effort to overcome the plateau is required to see progress. With persistence you will get to the other side of the plateau.
I have a saying that I got from my good friend, Carlos Dejesus. My saying is “Go beyond!” This means push past the pain you feel in your muscles. As long as you can move the weight you should move the weight. Persistent behavior requires that you endure some pain. Don't back down!
If you do both of these things you are going to see improvements purely because of persistence.
