Knowing Your Weaknesses

Knowing your weaknesses is the key for improvement

Granted, it’s not the most positive title but knowing your weaknesses may inspire you to reach your goals (whatever they are) and get the body you want. If it’s your goal to improve, please keep reading.

You’ve most likely been in a job interview where they ask you about your strengths and weaknesses. You want to dazzle your potential employer with your strengths and keep the weaknesses on the down low as to not hurt your chances of getting the job.

I’ve said my weakness are potato chips and Chuck Norris. The looks I got suggested it wasn’t funny. Maybe they didn’t like chips? Who knows.

Downplaying your weaknesses is great for landing a job but when it comes to reaching your goals and getting the body you want, not so much. Let me explain by revealing a couple of my own.

Just for the record, I consider my admiration for Chuck Norris to be a success and not weird for a middle-aged man.

My Weaknesses That I’m Still Working On

After much soul-searching, taking a long hard look at myself in the mirror and being told several times by my wife, here’s a few of my weaknesses.

• Procrastination– if it were an Olympic sport, I’d be on the podium every time.
• Don’t read the fine print- I’m a big picture guy
• Lazy- I don’t like to work hard and avoid the work I hate. Like yard work
• Lack of patience- I’m better than I used to be but sometimes I have a short fuse
• Listening- This one is obvious for most married men
• Inability to make decisions- why is it always up to me?

If I said these in a job interview, I’d be sunk but knowing and admitting to yourself about your shortcomings helps you work on them. But what’s this got to with exercise? Let me explain.

Knowing Your Weakness And Exercise

I’m not asking you to write out a list for the world to see (just like I did) but make a mental note in that noggin of yours. Again, I’ll use myself as an example on how knowing and acting on your weakness will help get you sexy.

Let’s look at procrastination and patience. I’m assuming some of you out there might have the same weaknesses. But who am I to judge.  Who am I kidding? I’m like Judge Judy.

Procrastination

If there were two choices on the menu, I’ll take 10 minutes to decide. I will go back and forth debating the merit of both while my family gives me the hungry evil eye.

Decision fatigue is a real thing because we make tons of little decisions every day. By the time you get home and try to decide what you want to watch on TV, you’re done.

The best thing you can do if you’re procrastinating about exercising, about what exercise to do, what to wear or what program to do is to take some of the decision-making out of your hands.

Here’s a couple of suggestions

Hire a coach to write your exercise program. For around six years, I’ve had a coach write my programs. I see it and do it without thinking because if it were up to me I’d do deadlifts and curls all the time.

If you’re umming and ahhing about whether to do anything at all, think small. Go for a walk, do some housework, yoga, stretching or go to the local playground with your kids. Doing something is always better than doing nothing.

Plus, start developing some better habits.  Habits, good and bad are automatic and are done without thinking. Here’s a couple of tips to develop healthier habits.

1. Start small– Most people want to create big change as quickly as possible. For example, if you’re trying to lose weight start with drinking a glass of water before each meal

2. Get hooked on your habit- That’s the point. It takes a little while to make it a habit to stick. Don’t worry if you miss a day. Just don’t miss it twice.

3. Celebrate your small wins- You have to enjoy the journey. Even if you walked for an extra 10 minutes or did an extra rep of an exercise, give yourself a pat on the back.

4. Design your environment- Make it easier for the habit to stick, not harder. For example, if you want to go to the gym, pack your bag the night before and make it one of the first things you see when you wake up and get moving

5. Surround yourself with supporters- If you’re trying to lose weight but your partner is still pigging out on ice cream, do you think it makes losing weight easier or more difficult?

Patience

Patience is a virtue.

How many times have you heard this? When I was growing up, my mum drilled this into my brain, but it didn’t work. It wasn’t until I grew older and had kids till I wouldn’t lose the plot at the drop of a hat.

However, some days are better than others.

When it comes to exercise and getting sexy, patience is key. I’ve seen lack of patience generally take these two forms.

1. Slow Your Roll (When Beginning A New Program)

You feel the weight should fly off and the scale and mirror become your best friends when you’re not procrastinating and getting after it with your exercise and diet.

Hold your horses for a second.

Usually, it takes 4-6 weeks to see any visible changes in your body. During this time your nervous system, ligaments and tendons are getting used to the exercise you’re throwing at them.

They’re all busy making new connections and getting stronger.  Once this period is over, you’ll start seeing some changes when you flex in the mirror. The trick here is to stick it out and show patience.

Because it doesn’t happen overnight, but it will happen.

A Suggestion

Realize it took you a while to get to this point and it’s going to take some time to turn this ship around.

You need to celebrate the small wins during this period of adjustment. Even if you walked for an extra 10 minutes or did an extra rep of an exercise, give yourself a pat on the back. This helps keep you going.

2. Program Hopping

It’s natural to think the grass is always greener on the other side. After all, you’re saturated with exercise fads and their results look incredible and besides, your program isn’t working.

Change is not a bad thing. Change is sometimes needed when you’re stuck in a plateau or when your routine has become boring.

But, too much change doesn’t give your body a chance to adapt to your current program because not everything in the weight room happens straight away. It’s a fine line.

A Suggestion

My general rule of thumb is finishing the program first and then evaluating whether it worked or not. For example, loss of body fat, smaller waist, or bigger muscles.

Or if you see no changes after 6 weeks, then it’s okay to try something new.

Wrapping Up

We all have weaknesses. It’s part of the human package. And it’s okay not to reveal it to others when a job is on the line but it’s a necessity to admit it (to yourself) when you’re trying to make a change for the better.

Because if you don’t admit these to yourself, your friends and partner sure will.