Forget About It

Forget about it, or if you’re from New York, you’ll say Fuhgeddaboudit, a common phrase to say thank you, you’re welcome, and it’s not a big deal. Don’t worry about it, and let’s put it in the rearview mirror as quickly as possible, is what I’ll take it to mean, too.

Forget about it. It is excellent advice, simple to say, and sometimes challenging to do. If only you could forget about your failures and F-ups. Geez, I remember my stuff ups more than my successes. Do you feel the same way? These failures, F-ups, and stuff-ups have a habit of coming up at bad times, like at 4 am.

Do you feel me?

Yeah, some things are challenging to forget about.

Do you know what is difficult to forget about? Your health and fitness failures. Whether missing a scheduled workout, cheating on your diet, quitting it, or looking at an unfavorable number on the scale. Sometimes, those things are not easy to forget, especially when you’re going again or looking at another stuff up.

Let’s dive into this subject so you will be successful with your health and fitness.

Forget About What

Let’s clarify: If you’re consistent with your health and fitness, you have less to worry about than the person who isn’t but wants to be. Those who look in the mirror and feel they have tried everything outside of surgery and semi-guide to get healthy may have more to forget about.

Forget about what?

All the failed diets, the start-stop-start gym attempts, and all the crazy fads you may have tried to be your best self. Although having a short memory is excellent, sometimes the sting of failure remains, especially when the going gets tough again.

Forget about what? Forget about all the times that ‘it’ didn’t work before.

Ten years ago, I was barbell deadlifting all wrong, and this led to three herniated disks in my lower back. The whole experience wasn’t fun, but I’m all good now. But almost every time I address the bar, I pay close attention to my setup because experiencing that level of pain again is a no-go. Why do I mention this?

Wait, the punch line is coming.

Here’s the catch-22 about forgetting about previous failed attempts. Yes, it’s great to have a short memory and get on with it because who wants to keep remembering failure? Not me, that’s for sure. But having a reminder helps keep you on the straight and narrow to prevent it from happening again. See the catch-22 now?

Have you heard of learning the hard way from your mistakes? What’s described is a big part of it.

Forget And Remember Simultaneously

Ok, I did promise a punchline, and it’s coming soon. Forgetting and having a short memory of failed attempts is excellent, and remembering your failure is good, too. Both have advantages and disadvantages, but I feel there is a way to do both.  

Here, I mentioned forgiving yourself and developing self-compassion, which goes a long way to moving on and forgetting about it. This is still valid, but I wish to add the following saying.

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.”

Whenever my past failures, fuck ups, and stuff-ups come back to haunt me at 4 am, remembering this quote goes a long way to forget about it. With many failed attempts, you probably didn’t know better, and when you do know better because of the screw-up, you will do better.  

If you know better and make a similar mistake again, that’s on you. Sometimes (if you’re anything like me), you’ll learn the hard way by making it twice. But that’s ok because that will help it stick.

Wrapping Up

Are you ready to do better, forgive yourself, and develop self-compassion? Because if you are, you will crush your health and fitness goals. Trust me, I’m a trainer. I’m here to assist if you need some help along this path.