To a man wanting to make changes in his fitness, health, or lifestyle, starting can feel insurmountable. My
inaugural post identified two mindset keys for me, a guy over 45, in getting started on changing my trajectory in life. I want to bring in two more keys plus a bonus key that were necessary.
But first, if you’re like me, you like to read. I find reading will enhance my motivation. Notice I didn’t say drive my motivation, it just enhances it. The type of book doesn’t even have to be about motivation specifically. Sometimes you just need a book to set you up for the mindset battle. A couple of books that I’ve read over that last couple of years kept reinforcing in me that I can do better, I need to do better, to have a better life: (I receive a small commission if you click and purchase, but I never recommend anything that I haven’t read, used, or tested myself!)
Fight: winning the battles that matter most is Craig Groeschel New York Times Best Seller
The Last Arrow: save nothing for the next life by Erwin Raphael McManus
The First Two Keys in a Getting Started Mindset
As a review, the slow burn of negative changes will catch up to you at some point. Not knowing where to start improving your trajectory will inhibit your mindset. The first two mindset keys I identified were:
Just Pick Something
Decide on My Why
The “just pick something” I chose was to work on my “dad bod” because I knew this had multiple benefits to my life and I knew a little something about how to exercise. However, I have worked on my “dad bod” before but had not kept it going. As I wrote prior, it boiled down to motivation, I had to decide on my why. The why that I decided to believe in was my absolute belief that changing my “dad bod” with exercise and eating right would lead to a better future.
The Next Two Keys in a Getting Started Mindset
I exercised off and on through-out my life. I worked out a lot when I was younger and was very active, and it showed. Later in life, I exercised less, had more stress, less motivation, and it showed. Why is it so hard to start and maintain?
Since turning 45 a few years ago, I worked out, cardio, weights, intervals, etc. I knew enough to change how I worked out now relative to when I wore a younger man’s clothes. Dropping a few pounds in the past was usual, but never enough to have significant health effects physically and mentally. A different mindset was required to change my health trajectory, it had to be approached differently than before.
One thing I hadn’t done at all, or at least well, in the past was improve how I was eating. I never had a poor diet, but I didn’t really know if I had a healthy one, appropriate for a man my age. As good as I was at exercise, that wouldn’t be enough. I knew that I absolutely had to be intentional to include a healthier diet than I ever had before.
Third Key was: Approach it Different than in the past
My mindset was beginning to change, to improve, to be set up for long term success. Ever have a new year’s resolution that was going to change your life? Ever have a home run type goal that you were going to reach no matter what? Have you ever run across those a few years later and shake your head wondering what happened?? I have. I’ve met many goals; I’ve faced tough circumstances and come out the other side. I’m not un-driven or incapable. Just like you I’m human.
The real breakthrough happened accidentally. The men in my family have a guys weekend every year. My brothers and I were texting at the end of this year’s guys weekend and one of us had the bright idea that we should set a weight loss goal for one year later. Not only that but we should also text each other that goal. No, it didn’t stop there. We decided to text each other our cumulative pounds lost total on the first of every month. Boom! Instant accountability (or competition… lol). I say this happened accidentally because I hadn’t set out to have an “accountability partner.” Probably because that’s boring to me or that I just didn’t want to fail in front of someone. Either way I was just going to go it alone but with determination. That’s a recipe for mediocrity, at best and failure at worst.
Fourth Key was: be Accountable to someone else
Bonus Key to a Getting Started Mindset
I learned the skills for a new hobby a few years ago and continue to be invested in that hobby. Improving my dad bod with exercise and a better diet would make that hobby more comfortable but I would still be able to participate if I didn’t change anything. Shortly after my brothers and I decided to drop a few pounds, I decided to pursue an interest of mine that I had for many years but that was really not practical to pursue over those years (whatever that means…) This new interest of mine catapulted my desire to reach my weight loss objective and increased my interest in looking, dressing, and feeling better. Ripple effect, a reason to keep going, something fun.
Bonus Key: Find a Fun Reason to Keep Going
The right mindset to get started is imperative for a man over 45 when choosing a different trajectory in their health, fitness, or lifestyle. It’s been almost four months and I’ve accomplished more in changing my trajectory in that time than I have in the last 20 years!
The Four Mindset Keys to Changing Your Trajectory:
Just Pick Something
Determine your Why
Approach it Different
External Accountability
Bonus Key
Find a Fun Reason to Keep Going
I want you to be successful too. In the COMMENTS section below, tell me what is the something you are going to pick to begin to change your trajectory towards a better future?
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