We all think of ourselves as smart. But most of us neglect to use that brainpower to improve our workouts.
Instead, you rock up to the gym with the enthusiasm of a bored French intellectual and slouch home.
Though this is a slight exaggeration, the point remains: many of us just go through the motions.
There is, however, a fix, that could take you from ‘skinny boy’ to Arnie. And while it sounds simple, it’s crucial. Motivating your mind.
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Enter: change expert and founder of the Ultimate You Change Centres, Andy Anderson, who we recently shot a bunch of questions to understand how we can be better mental citizens in the gym.
He then broke down his neurolinguistic programming, motivational coaching and positive psychology for us. And there’s good news: we’re not lazy – just inefficient and unmotivated!
“There’s a difference between a quick win and sustained long-term results. Anyone can be good in the good times and lose 5kg quickly if they really want to, but if you want to achieve long-lasting fitness gains, you have to change more than just your habits and rituals,” Andy told us.
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“You need to break down your values, your limiting beliefs and belief systems, your unconscious fears, your personal identity and how you see yourself,” he said. He then added – if you want to hit long term goals – you need to “manage your self-talk and understand what triggers you motivationally in both a positive and an unresourceful way.”
“If shifted correctly and at the right time, all these things are going to help you transform faster and sustain long-term results.”
According to Andy, “If your inner world is negative, in turmoil and unmotivated, then your outer world and your body are going to [reflect] that.” Thus: “We work with our clients to help them gain self-awareness of those elements. Because once they do, they can change them. We do this through… workshops where we can deep dive with them and group scenarios to help them gain understanding so they can apply it to their training.”
“Your outer world is a reflection of your inner world.”
That all sounds great. But also flowery. So what does Andy say to those that are as cynical about motivational coaching as they are about self-help pyramid schemes?
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“It’s not a quick job – it’s ongoing. People often say that motivation doesn’t last, but neither does showering – that’s why we recommend it daily!”, Andy says.
“If you shower every day, why aren’t you focusing on having a good internal dialogue and a positive narrative every day? Those things are as important as showering, but we don’t generally pay attention to them.”
Fair enough.
Andy also told us that what differentiates his training watching a motivational Youtube video is that it is tailored: “Those things [Youtube videos, Spotify playlists] are great motivational sparks, but if you want those sparks to turn into a flame, you need to know how you can make those tools applicable to your life specifically.”
“Everyone is facing different fears and challenges, so there’s no one size fits all. It’s a very personal process for each person and I guess that’s what makes it one of the best investments you can make for your mental, physical and emotional health.”
He then said: “If you have something that’s working for you, that’s great. Stick with it! But people generally struggle and need help. This is why we have a nation that is suffering the highest levels of obesity ever and a real mental health crisis as well.”
Why?
Andy reckons it’s because “Mindset training really isn’t something we are taught in schools.” The silver lining to this though is that, generally, it is “life-changing” once they get the hang of it.
Food for thought people. Food for thought.