The Heavy Lifting of Success

I've always been a fitness junky. When I was in high-school, I made my parents drive me to school early so that I could lift weights before and after school. I read the muscle magazines and scoured the internet for advice. I read books and lifted lots of weights. I had a little success, but nothing to write home about.

I didn't get results because I didn't understand the fundamentals. My efforts were haphazard and directionless.

The reason that there's so much advice is that it's all bad. Everything seems to work for a little while, until it doesn't. But don't worry, there'll be another "perfect program" you can buy to solve your problems. If you learned the real keys to success, the fundamentals, there would be nothing left to sell you. And a steady stream of disinformation and flashy marketing will obscure the fundamentals from you even if you should happen to stumble upon them accidentally. The fitness industry is plagued by too much information and too little understanding.

Here's the "secret" to weightlifting...there is no secret. Results are a function of persistent hard work. Progressive overload: lifting more weight over time. This is hard (That's why so few people do it!) but it's the only thing that actually works.

Success is no different. There are entire blogs and book shelves dedicated to self-help and achieving success. It's an industry. Everyone has a solution for you to buy, and they all seem to work...for a little while. Until they don't. Most of this information is superficial "I'll pump you up!" moto-bation. Too much information. All fluff. No fundamentals.

Success is just like weightlifting. Here's the "secret" to success...there is no secret. Results are a function of persistent hard work. Progressive action: doing more and producing more over time. This is hard, but it's the only thing that actually works.

If you're looking for how to start, the answer is just as simple (and tough)...take action. Start small, and grow little by little each day. That's it. The key to progressive growth is to start small. In weight lifting that means to begin without weights. For success that means "shipping" when the stakes are low.

Beginning with low stakes allows you to win each time you ship, and winning is addictive. Taking action each day and winning is critical to building the action habit. By the time the stakes actually matter, you'll have accumulated hundreds of practice reps. You'll have built your mind and body. You'll be more than ready...you'll be worthy.

The most effective success program, or weight lifting program, is the one you stick to. Different disciplines with the same fundamentals.

Be consistent. Build a habit. Push yourself incrementally over time.