TIP: TEST THINGS OUT AND COMMIT

[01dragonslayer]

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?​

There are people who never take action yet seem to always be looking for the best way to accomplish their goal. They want everything to be tested out (by other people) and then they want to compare those results to other results, and then they want an analysis done by a trusted source who has also tried it.

They might tell you their inaction is about efficiency and doing things the right way, but really it's about fear. Fear of failing. Fear of being the only beginner in a room full of experienced people. Maybe even a fear of commitment. So they wait for someone else to tell them whether or not it's worth the effort. The real story? People who make excuses are people who are afraid.

MAKE GAINS IN KNOWLEDGE​

Successful lifters and athletes want to see for themselves. If something doesn't work, they want to find out firsthand. Why? Because what seems like too much of an effort to one person might actually be worth it to another. Experienced bodybuilders and strength athletes won't become naysayers against any one method until they've tried it out. They get personal satisfaction from the effort, even if that effort doesn't pan out. The act of trying stuff reinforces the desire to keep trying stuff until they get the results they want.

Successful lifters don't want secondhand information because they know friends and studies don't tell the whole story. They might follow what they believe instinctively, and if those instincts happen to be wrong, then they walk away from the experience with more knowledge. If their instincts happen to be right, they have a whole new tool in their toolbox.

Their ability to test things out – from nutrition to training – keeps them from being held back by fear. Sure, they screw up sometimes, but those experiences make them better and more capable of finding what does work best for them. Experiencing missteps make them less afraid.

From eating strategies to body part splits and training techniques, knowledgeable lifters seek results, and they wouldn't dare place all of their trust in one diet book or one fitness expert. They're also wary of anyone who pretends to have all the answers.

These men and women welcome trainers and their new ideas, but they don't require approval or permission in order to eat right and train hard. They don't need the whip to be cracked. They're driven, and nothing can derail it.

HERE'S WHAT TO DO​

Start somewhere. Try stuff. Read up on it. And don't get hung-up by hearsay because you'll only know how your body responds by trying it out for yourself. Realize that if you've been researching the sumo squat for weeks and haven't sumo squatted yet, you're just flexing your procrastination muscle.

Try stuff you're interested in and commit to it for a fair period of time. Then if what you're doing can be improved, you'll know more about how to improve it. Figuring out what doesn't work for you gets you closer to figuring out what does.

But you have to commit to something in order to reap the benefits of experience. Stop trying to gather up tons of secondhand information. Don't make your health someone else's responsibility. Read, research, test, commit, tweak.