Confidence, Power, Purpose

Ever find yourself wandering into the gym only then trying to decide what workout to do? You feel the eyes of others scanning you in a judgmental way and allow their imagined opinions to seep into your mind. At that point, a cloud of self-doubt begins to form. You may end up hiding out on the cardio machine or in a remote corner of the gym. Or you might just turn around and say, “No one I know saw me…I’ll just go home.”

Achieving a fulfilling workout can be difficult for anyone, inside or outside of the gym. From our first inclination to start physical activity—during each set and rep, and all the way to the end—we must have three things to achieve a fulfilling workout: confidence, power, and purpose.

Confidence:

Having confidence in what you do, no matter what you do, is the key to completing any task. In the world of exercise, those who progress test their confidence frequently by attempting something they are not sure is possible. You might ask, “How can I have confidence if I don’t know that I can do it?” Well…How does a bird learn to fly? How do children learn to walk? We can initiate confidence by understanding that it is the gradual result of just doing something, and doing it again, and again. The first step leads to the second, third, and so on. Not all of us may be entirely confident at the start, but we all have the capacity to build confidence. By knowing that all of us grow and adapt by doing, we can start with the awareness that greatness comes after that first step.

Power:

Power is a necessary element of physical activity. You must have power to progress. That means having not only enough energy to complete the task at hand, but a little more. It’s that extra squeeze, those few added seconds, that final “oomph” in the push that makes all the difference between doing what you already know you can do and reaching for the next level. Power requires putting your whole self into the movement, and (yes we’ve heard this before) “giving it all you’ve got.” This may not be new news, but it’s worth reminding ourselves…often. Our bodies constantly seek efficiency and this can sometimes mean getting a little lazy when we exercise. So if you’re looking to reach the next level of fitness, or in your career or relationships—whatever it may be—take that cliché seriously: Give it all you’ve got.

Purpose:

Purpose is the underlying thread that ties confidence and power together. Whatever your purpose or goal may be, you can use it as the driver behind everything you do. While it is possible to have confidence and power without purpose, the two alone will not give you a feeling of accomplishment. Having a purpose is a source of direction and motivation. It provides a layout of what steps we need to take and why, while also rewarding you with a sense of fulfillment. It’s a compass needle, pointing you in the right direction toward your goal.

So the next time you start your workout, check in with yourself. Confidence? Yes. Power? Yes. Purpose? Yes. Then go after it as if your life depends on it—because it does.