EXCUSE: THE ACHILLES TENDON OF THE STRONG

          I recently read an article in a National Strength and Conditioning association journal wherein the author, an exercise/sport psychologist, addressed a universal enemy of athletes. It is that insidious beast, that pestilent antagonist of humanity called excuse. She declaimed the various ways that it creeps into training and terrorizes even the best of us.
 
          I began to think about my training in recent months and in the last few years, and within moments her points began to appear in my retrospection. She listed all of the justifications we make for training poorly or not at all. She highlighted how destructive it can be to ultimate success and progress.
 
          Even as a trainer—someone who purports to be an expert in health and fitness, I see my life and values undermined by certain excuses I have made my whole life. There is always that doubt that keeps me from attaining what I know is possible and reaching out for what seems impossible. The result is that I feel like the ultimate impostor. I don’t feel like I can take a stand and challenge people in weak areas of their lives. It is a nasty creature, excuse.
 
          Part of the purpose of my last blog was to demonstrate that I am going to hold myself to the same scrutiny as my clients. Surprisingly, oftentimes I really don’t. I sit on my pedestal of education and knowledge and avoid getting dirty the way I must to be a role model, a coach, and an educator. I think to myself that I can give a minimal effort and still accomplish twice that of the typical gym crowd. The truth is that I can derive some success with this mentality, but only to a very finite degree. However, I am robbing myself and missing out on the energy of total immersion.
 
          And so . . . I am ready to take my humility pill and get my hands dirty. I am going to make myself accountable to the standard that I project to friends, family, clients, and peers. Yes, we are plagued by excuse—that mean villain—but we don’t have to be ruled by him! We can begin each day with new fervor and give our best. At the very least, we can resist by not being deceived, by being accountable, and by creating and cultivating new goals and aspirations for ourselves.