Non-childish bodybuilding motivation, and a tale about how to motivate yourself for sports and progress in training.

Don't skip this article. I know that you are burning with an insatiable desire to go directly to the training program, interesting photos with descriptions of effective exercises and fashionable exercise equipment. But the “exercises” presented in this chapter are no less important if you want to reach a completely new level in your physical development, and life in general. They play approximately the same role and lead to the same tangible results as those that you will practice in the gym. Their main goal is to change your current rules of the game. Ignoring them, you will remain where you were, because you will do the same thing you did before - reduce your training program, start leaving the gym early, and then give up training altogether...

In our previous articles, we have repeatedly dwelled on the issues of motivation for training with weights, given real examples of how to motivate ourselves to exercise, gave practical advice, and studied in detail what can motivate us:

1. Anger, excitement and competition,
2. Positive visual example (photos, posters, books, films,...),
3. A good coach or sparring partner,
4. Progress and considerable results already achieved,
5. Dream…

In general, at the moment we have already plunged quite deeply into the issues of bodybuilding motivation... But what you will learn now is just a bomb! What we studied earlier will seem like childish pranks and a waste of precious time compared to what we have prepared for you today! So, on our agenda: advanced bodybuilding motivation and real psychological techniques, which will help you not only qualitatively stimulate yourself for your next trip to the gym, but will give you the impetus for dramatic changes in your entire life! The proposed technique will help you get motivated not just for a day or a week - it will give you incentive to swing for many years, unless of course you are lazy and take it into your arsenal. So, the secrets of psychology and advanced bodybuilding motivation - we begin...

It is not in your power to influence what your personal potential may be, but you can make your own decision: to fully reveal what you have or not to do so. Theodore Roosevelt.

What are the main distinguishing characteristics of losers? Lack of dreams and aspirations, laziness, apathy, a bad habit of blaming anyone but yourself for your personal troubles, as well as a list of justifications, excuses and excuses the size of Tolstoy’s Talmud “War and Peace”. Your incorrect belief system often leads to such consequences. Does this remind you of anything?

It's time to start training your brain. I want to offer you a couple of exercises that will help you adjust your way of thinking in the right direction, so that you can then effectively train your body. These simple exercises will help you rethink your existing beliefs and overcome negative tendencies. The proposed classes will radically change your whole life.

So, why do so many beginners give up on their gym routines and can’t keep up with the intense rhythm of training and the debilitatingly strict diet? Yes, all because they did not convince themselves at all that this needed to be done, and in fact did not take on any obligations. It is precisely this moment that I want to talk to you about.

Conviction and strict adherence to one’s obligations are the leading personality traits of people with character who always achieve their goals. It’s like concrete, cementing to death the desire to reach a new level, a new level of achievement.

I learned what it means to make a commitment when I played on the varsity football team at our University. At every first training session of the year, each active member of the team had to stand up and, in the presence of all coaches, masseurs, fans, reporters, fans and other onlookers, publicly declare: “This year I solemnly dedicate myself to football!” Our head coach demanded just such a public oath from every player, season after season. And it really worked! Such words, spoken in the presence of friends and colleagues, set the tone for all our work.

The time has come for you to make this commitment. You are given an hour to do this. During this time, you must complete 3 important exercises that will eloquently convince you of the need for fitness and bodybuilding, and will force you to be responsible to yourself. You can consider this your first training—training of thought and spirit.

Three important one-time exercises that will set your thoughts in the right mood and help you motivate yourself for sports, work and success in any endeavor:

I) Take a “spiritual inventory.” Set the stopwatch for 20 minutes and during this period write what you think: about yourself and how you evaluate your current life. Be completely honest. Answer the questions:

1. What do I look like now?
2. How have I been feeling lately?
3. What do I think about my own physical condition?
4. What do I like most about my health, physical development and diet?
5. What can be improved?
6. What is my overall quality of life?
7. What do I think about relationships with loved ones, career, my financial situation, communication with friends, spiritual life?
8. When was the last time I had fun or had an exciting adventure?
9. And, most importantly: what would I like to change about myself?

Done? Congratulations, you've just completed one third of the way. Save everything you write. This will be your snapshot of history, to which you will yet return when you complete a significant stage of your fitness training program. Later, when you re-read these entries, you will realize how simply you have progressed along your intended path.

Keep a self-control diary and set aside 5 minutes every day to keep this diary. For what purpose? Well, firstly, iron sport involves keeping a diary, and you have already heard this from us more than once. There you should write down your anthropometric data, objective and subjective indicators and other important information... But today we will not talk about them at all. Today we are talking about motivation and desired goals. When you express your feelings in writing or set goals, it has a much greater impact than if you just think or just talk about it. When writing in a diary, your thoughts seem to focus, become as accurate and clear as possible. They gain extra strength. Just 5 minutes a day...

Ii) Make a strong statement of purpose. This is a very important step, never skip it. The statement is one of the foundation stones of the entire quality motivation program.

How many times have I met people who actually trained their whole lives, but never achieved anything. The key reason is that they did not understand which direction to move. They did not have a specific goal. And you simply must record your plans in writing. This should be your personal declaration of goals.

What is she like? This is a statement, literally a couple of paragraphs, in which you outline to the whole world (or at least to yourself) what you want to achieve in life. In this case, you can make goals for 10 years, for 1 year and for any other period of time you need.

This declaration will become your main source of strength. After all, it is on this that your obligations to yourself will be based. A well-written statement will stimulate, set the tone and provide a positive emotional charge every day when you think about it. It's not just about setting goals. You need to turn to it every morning to recharge yourself with additional strength to move forward and become at least one hundredth of a percent better every day.

In this way, you create your image of the future and publicly declare (at least to yourself) what you want to achieve at the end of your training. This is an extremely effective remedy.

Here are some more tips for writing this declaration - write:

1. a) how many times a week will you go to the gym,
2. b) how to eat,
3. c) how much to weigh,
4. d) what changes will happen in your life,
5. d) how relationships with people will develop,
6. f) how the attitude towards work will change,
7. g) what new habits will you develop that will contribute to a more fulfilling life?

And the main thing is that you write it as if it all already happened. Imagine that, years later, you look back and remember with joy what happened during this time.

With this exercise you will become more responsible in your plans. It is for this purpose that the declaration is drawn up exclusively in writing. The words you wrote give a lot of emotional strength. You should see them clearly before your eyes - written in black and white.

III) Having completed this declaration, do like her brief summary, which can fit on a small card. Select just a few basic keywords. These words should remain firmly in your memory and as an image of this declaration.

Let this card always be at your fingertips - in a visible place. Every day she will greatly inspire you to new achievements, no matter what you undertake and no matter what you do. Carry it with you, actively use it, read it every morning. Imagine that she is your ticket to a new life!

And remember: you wrote your declaration of goals - in fact, you swore an oath, you gave your word! Now you have a plan and motivation to implement it...