My partner showed us that video recently. It’s about a 60-year-old man doing 700 push-ups every day. Pretty impressive, uh? This guy is more in shape then most 20-year-old!
It got me thinking that it’s a all a matter of starting something. Most of the time, we prefer to procrastinate instead of actually doing something. But if we start, if we do it once, then the magic can happen. After that, it’s a matter of interest. If the interest is strong enough, we will find reasons to continue, instead of excuses not to…
More then a year ago, in the fall of 2010, I was in Seattle for a Microsoft conference. After an exhausting but challenging day, I was in my room talking to my wife on Skype. She was telling me about the gym she visited today. She was all excited, and told me all the good things about it, that it’s near our house, that they have a family plan, that it’s huge, etc. I was like “Meah… I hate gyms”. But my wife is very good at convincing when she really wants something (see, when the interest is strong enough…). So I said ok, let’s try it.
When I got back from Seattle, I took a training session with a trainer and he created a program for me. I did it a few times. The most difficult part was to fit the gym in my schedule. I tried different time, and finally find the time it worked best for everyone (for my family, for me, for INBOX, etc…). And after a few more times, I started to see benefits in my mind. Going to the gym was a good way of clearing my head for 60 minutes and not thinking about clients, projects, kids, family… A bit later, I started to see physical changes. A few muscles here and there, I was less tired, I could play longer with the kids, I was not trying to catch my breath after climbing 5 steps in a staircase.
The interest got even bigger! As so many things in life, it’s a « more-more-less-less » circle. The more I was doing it, the more I was seing results, the less it was difficult, the less I was thinking about excuses.
It’s been 14 months since I started, and I’m going 2-3 times a week. It’s now part of my weekly routine. I like it, and I feel better. So thanks to my wife, because without her insisting, I would never have started.
The bottom line is stop thinking about it, and start. Whatever what, but start. With a start, there is a potential of greatness. With no start, nothing ever happens… So, what’s your excuse ? 😉
