The ‘will’ to succeed

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/02/2022 (1350 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I started 75 Hard on Dec. 28 at 217 pounds and a little too fluffy after coasting the last couple months of 2021. I’m now 212.6 with 2.5-3 inches off the waist, depending on the day.

If you aren’t aware, 75 Hard is hard. Created by Andy Frisella, it requires two 45-minute workouts (I’m ensuring one is lower-intensity active recovery walking), you can’t drink alcohol or have any junk food, and you need to drink one gallon of water (nearly four litres!) a day. For 75 straight days.

In terms of diet, it leaves it very open-ended by saying you need to follow one. So I just set myself up with the same calorie and protein calculation I use with my clients, relative to my weight and activity levels. My weight and waist size are going down consistently while eating 2,500 calories each day, which is nice to see. Hope that continues for a bit!

The real secret to this? Accountability. A group of us coaches are doing it in advance of a meeting in Nashville in April and have a chat group going where we need to report daily.

I had my first big test with it on Saturday while watching hockey with a buddy, who insisted I have one beer. But because it’s simply not allowed, I had an easier time saying no.

That’s one of the challenges many face when they make a lifestyle change. They can be good for a few days and then environment, outside influences and finally that inner voice wins a negotiation to deviate off plan.

I write this with caution, knowing a moderate approach most of the time works best for the majority of people. Especially if you’re just getting started, 75 Hard is going to set you up for failure. A better approach would allow for regular indulgence when warranted, while staying on track most of the time, but this challenge has helped me realize I’m in control of my decisions. I’m not using language such as, “I’ll try” or, “I’ll do my best” or, “We’ll see how it goes.”

It’s interesting how the inner voice can run the show if you don’t run it. See how easy it is to talk yourself out of something if you aren’t committed.

I’ll try to wake up when my alarm goes off. (Hint: you won’t).

I’ll try to get a workout in today. (Hint: you’ll skip it).

I’ll try to get started again on Monday. (Sure, you may, but you’ll go through the same cycle).

Instead, I’m using language such as, “I will” to ensure I follow through. When your “will” shows up, your power shows up.

What will you start doing in February? The decisions we make either move us closer or further away from our perceived finish line.

This challenge has helped me stop talking myself into doing the bare minimum because of a litany of excuses.

Despite the big time commitment of 90 minutes of daily exercise (I’m often doing walks after 9 p.m.), I’m getting more done in every other hour of the day. Every area of my life is dialed in.

Heck, I’ve built one big snow fort for the girls in our backyard because it’s more fun to fulfil that daily outdoor workout requirement shovelling than running against a -40 C windchill.

I’m more engaged and present with my kids and I’ve had better-quality undistracted time with them because of it.

Anyway, it’s early on and I may be singing a different tune on Day 63, but so far it’s helped me refocus my own fitness while helping how I show up in other areas.

I’ve become more aware of the internal language I use day to day, consciously choosing delayed gratification.

My message for you today is to stop negotiating with your comfort zone and start using more powerful words. When you say you “should” or you’ll “try” to do something, you are not fully engaged. It’s a very passive voice. It’s a red flag that you are just going through the motions and easily swayed off track. There is no commitment.

This reminds me of Yoda in Star Wars. “Do, or do not. There is no try.”

“Try” gives you an out, it lacks intention and confidence. It sows doubt in your mind and rarely translates to consistent action.

But when you “choose” to do something, you are in control.

You choose confidence. You choose action. You choose to follow through on that program until completion. You choose success. You choose your effort and attitude.

Now, we don’t always get to choose what happens to us, but we do get to choose how we respond.

All of the pain in my body from two-a-day workouts is because of my choices. On the flip side, I’ll be in a worse pain if I quit because I won’t like how I look or feel. When you say “I will” follow through, you will. Simple as that.

And finally, along the journey you must live in the gain, not the gap. This concept comes from entrepreneurial coach Dan Sullivan. We usually tend to focus on the gap, looking at how far we have to go to achieve our goal. That’s all fine and dandy; I’m a big goal-setter myself, but it comes from a place of neediness and always leaves you wanting if that’s where your attention lies all the time.

Sullivan says instead, you should focus on celebrating how far you’ve come along the way, meaning the portion of the valley you’ve already crossed en route to your end goal. When you’re living each day with that perspective, more forward momentum and positive outcomes will result.

For example, getting down on yourself because the scale happens to be randomly up today causes you to live in the gap — in that valley between where you are today and where you want to get to. Success doesn’t breed well in that space.

Instead, vow to live in the gain by looking back at your progress and being proud and grateful of how far you’ve come. Even if there’s not a lot of measurable change to celebrate just yet, focus on all the positive actions you’ve taken. That’s how you build momentum.

Mitch Calvert is a Winnipeg-based fitness coach who has helped more than 1,400 people transform their bodies and lives over the past decade. Visit mitchcalvert.com to grab a free copy of his metabolism jumpstart or contact him directly at mitch@mitchcalvert.com for coaching opportunities or questions.