You may be asking yourself if consistency is all that is needed on this journey to fitness. My answer to you is no! There are other critical components that help to create the "perfect storm." Although I admit had I been consistent from Day 1 on my journey, I would have already reached Pro Bikini competitor status, perhaps I would have made the cover of Sports Illustrated, maybe I would have been the next Ms. Olympia! Ok, ok, ok, a little ambitious and over the top but hopefully you get my point .. I would have already reached and surpassed my goal.
In addition to consistency you have to make a commitment to yourself. You have to commit to the journey that lies ahead which is filled with twists and turns, uncertainties, downfalls, disappointments, milestones, setbacks, achievements and u turns. You have to make a promise to yourself that no matter where this journey may take you and despite whatever you may encounter that you will not give up on your goal and ultimately you will not give up on yourself.
Lawd knows I have been at this journey for quite some time and have had my share of good and bad experiences along the way. After thinking over my journey, here are some critical keys to success that I urge you to equip yourself with as you continue or even begin on your personal journey:
- Set short and long term goals - Create a list of realistic goals that are achievable and attach timelines to each of them.
- Be consistent - I often joke that I am consistently inconsistent which is one of my biggest flaws (I am a work in progress!). To overcome this I have started creating daily lists for myself which remind me of the things I need to do each day to get me one step closer to my goals. For instance, this week my Monday list includes waking up and knocking out 1 hour of cardio, packing my lunch, setting aside 15 minutes during my day to clear my mind and breathe, attending an evening class at Body by Maria and drinking 110 oz of water.
- Stay motivated - Surround yourself with people that share similar goals and those that have already reached the goal you are chasing.
- Keep visuals - Create a vision board for your goal. My phone is full of pictures of the abs I want, the booty I am squatting for, the quads I crave and the look I am going for. The mornings that I want to be lazy I look at those photos and within no time I am out that bed and heading to my work out.
- Believe in yourself - This by far is the biggest factor in whether you will succeed in reaching your goal or not! You cannot rely on others to push you, motivate you or even believe in you. The truth is many people will be doubting you along the way. You have to become strong mentally and ignore the negativity and believe in yourself! You have to know without a shadow of a doubt that you CAN do this!! The power is within you just waiting to be tapped into and unleashed.
- Lastly, it sounds so cliche but Just Do It!!!! Whether you want to or not at that moment force yourself to just get up, get dressed and Just Do It!
I assure you this journey will not be nor is ever easy but I promise you it is so worth it. The benefits outdo any sacrifice you will make along the way and the rewards are simply priceless.
Here's to reaching all your goals and then creating new bigger and better ones!
.....Take these words and allow them to ignite your inner fierce ...
Stacy Fierce (SFierce22 - IG)
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