Muscle for Life with Mike Matthews - Motivation Monday: Don't Let Success Hold You Back

Episode Date: February 22, 2021

This episode is part of a weekly series that I have dubbed “Motivation Monday.” (Yes, I know, very creative of me. What can I say, I’m a genius…) Seriously though, the idea here is simple: Every Monday morning, I’m going to post a short and punchy episode that I hope gets you fired up to tackle the workouts, work, and everything else that you have planned for the week ahead. As we all know, it’s one thing to know what you want to do, but it’s something else altogether to actually make yourself do it, and I hope that this series gives you a jolt of inspiration, energy, and encouragement to get at it. So, if you like what you hear, then make sure to check back every Monday morning for the latest and greatest installment. Mentioned on The Show: Legion VIP One-on-One Coaching: https://legionathletics.com/coaching/ Want free workout and meal plans? Download my science-based diet and training templates for men and women: https://legionathletics.com/text-sign-up/

Once we have set our sights on a goal, what do we crave most? Progress, right? We want to see positive change. We want to see forward movement, and we hope that that will inspire us to keep going. But that is not always how it goes. Progress can cut both ways because the satisfaction it produces can breed complacency, and that is a powerful catalyst for weakening willpower. Instead of reinvigorating us for another charge into the breach, progress can lull us into following one step forward with two back. And this paradox has been demonstrated in a number of studies. For example, research conducted by scientists at the University of Chicago found that when people were led to believe they were closing in on their weight loss goals, they were 32% more likely to choose a chocolate bar for a snack over an apple.

And I've seen this phenomenon many times over the years as well. I mean, all too often people use weight loss progress as an excuse to loosen the dietary reins and hinder further progress. What can we do about this? How can we guard against the slackening effects of success? Well, according to another study conducted by the same team of scientists at the University of Chicago, we should avoid getting into the habit of flattering ourselves for all the work we've done. Instead, we should avoid getting into the habit of flattering ourselves for all the work we've done. Instead, we should view our wins as evidence of how important our goals are to us and how committed we are to seeing them through. That is, we should discipline ourselves to keep our

eyes on the road, not slow down and take in the scenery. And this mindset is powerful. I would say it has been one of my personal quote unquote secrets to success, both inside and outside the gym. I've always remained more focused on what I still have to do to realize the future I want for myself and my family than on how far we have already come. I've always strived to embody doing and becoming, you know, the present and the future over arriving and having, which would be past. I've also always worked to maintain a healthy respect for the process and for the fundamentals, the non-negotiables. And this type of philosophy has certainly increased the stress quotient in my life, but the payoff has been well worth it. And I don't just mean that financially, by the way. For me, the non-financial

stuff, the non-financial rewards of the game, which can be summed up in one word, really, just self-actualization, mean a lot more to me than the money. So the moral of this short little ditty of a podcast is don't let success hold you back. Don't let a win take the wind from your sails. All right, well, that's it for this episode. I hope you enjoyed it and found it interesting and helpful. And if you did and you don't mind doing me a favor, please do leave a quick review on iTunes or wherever you're listening to me from in whichever app you're listening to me in, because that not only convinces people that they should check out the show, it also increases search visibility. And thus it helps

more people find their way to me and learn how to get fitter, leaner, stronger, healthier, and happier as well. And of course, if you want to be notified when the next episode goes live, then simply subscribe to the podcast and you won't miss out on any new stuff. And if you didn't like something about the show, please do shoot me an email at mike at muscleforlife.com, just muscle, F-O-R, life.com, email at mike at muscleforlife.com, just muscle, F-O-R, life.com, and share your thoughts on how I can do this better. I read everything myself and I'm always looking for constructive feedback, even if it is criticism. I'm open to it. And of course, you can email me if you have positive feedback as well, or if you have questions really relating to anything that you think I could help you with, definitely send me an email. That is the best way to get ahold of me, mikeatmuscleforlife.com.

And that's it. Thanks again for listening to this episode. And I hope to hear from you soon.