Today I’m kicking off a series of posts that will help you, any of you, that have been on the fence about kick starting your own fitness, health, aesthetic, cat-farming, life-changing journey. Whatever it is you wanna do. I’m quite literally giving away the system I use with my clients that have helped them to:
-Build lean muscle whilst juggling work, family and kids.
-Drop 20kgs in a matter of months and reverse prediabetes whilst working 6 days a week and still enjoying junk food and booze.
-Get toned and fit in to old clothes whilst eating MORE food than before.
Today, we’re talking about Mindset, Motivation and (m)Systems.
Mindset and Motivation are pretty common buzzwords that have all but lost their meaning. But when we scratch at the surface and reveal the actual meaningful latter below the thin bro-motivation later they can have real impact when actually applied correctly.
Many of us love to set goals like "lose 10 pounds", “get jacked” or "run a 5k." And while these can be motivating in the short term, they often lead to a "start-stop" cycle where we work hard to achieve the goal, only to fall back into old habits once it's achieved. Or simply plateau with little to no success before we’ve even seen a small win.
This is because goals are focused often focused on the outcome, rather than the process of becoming the person who can achieve that outcome.
They also heavily rely on ‘motivation’, which can be fleeting. Especially when little progress is observed.
Setting goals aren’t enough. Every team in the women’s Euro’s last year had the same goal. To win. But it was the Lionesses’ that guaranteed success because their system of training and match play were better.
Every person who has ever failed a plan had the same goal. To succeed. Your goal and your fleeting motivation isn’t enough. They don’t guarantee success.
Systems do.
“But you still need a goal, right? You can’t just not set a goal and expect to achieve things.”
Obviously. But the goal is the least important part. It can be your starting point. But it will quickly become redundant.
Once your goal is decided, the two most important things you need are a SYSTEM and a NEW IDENTITY.
That last one sounds huge, but it just relates to a small mindset shift.
The book Atomic Habits is a bit of a meme at this point but the author, James Clear, makes some powerful points. I’d only read it for the first time this month on a trip to Austria and was stunned to see that the suggestions he makes reflect what I’ve been coaching for years at this point.
His whole thing is about turning OUTCOME-based goals into IDENTITY-based goals. And making small, incremental changes to your daily habits that returns effortless success.
I’ve been referring to my clients as Athlete’s for years regardless of the goal they approach me with.
Because the moment you shift your focus from “I’m someone who runs occasionally” to “I am a runner” or “I am an athlete” you will find yourself more committed to running. Because it’s now a part of who you are.
You will eat like an athlete. Train like an athlete. Think like an athlete. And you will smash all the running goals you set yourself this year. Because you are an athlete.
Whether you run a 45-minute 5k or a 15-minute 5k, you are an athlete.
The habits that stick the most are ones that are identity-based, where the goal is not to achieve a certain outcome, but to become the type of person who achieves that outcome effortlessly.
Instead of setting the goal of losing weight or getting jacked, create a system of daily habits around food and activity. Become the person who does these things effortlessly. Because by focusing on your identity and the systems that support it, you'll find it much easier to maintain your habits over the long term and achieve your goals. You will be moving past a dependence on the ever fleeting ‘motivation’, and towards autonomous discipline.
And remember this all-important aspect:
You don’t need to add hours and hours to your already busy day. Instead make small incremental changes. Become 1% better than the day before.
For example, start by committing to 10 minutes of activity a day, and gradually increase the time and intensity as your fitness improves. This can be a short walk at lunch. Or a 15-minute YouTube HIIT workout. By starting small and focusing on progress over perfection, you'll be much more likely to stick with your new habits and achieve lasting results.
As you work towards your goals this week, remember that it's not about setting big goals and pushing yourself to the limit. It's about creating systems and habits that support the person you want to become, and making small, consistent changes over time.
If you read this far and want to try this out today I recommend doing the following:
-Decide the kind of person you want to be.
-Prove to yourself that you can be that kind of person with a very small win.
I’m rooting for you.
See you tomorrow.
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