Fitness Tip 101: If It Doesn’t Challenge You, It Won’t Change You

This statement is a proven fact. No matter what you apply this principle to — exercise, weight loss, professional development, conquering of fears — it stands the same. To be triumphant in a goal and to experience and feel change within us, be it physically or mentally, the goal must in some way challenge us.

We need to step outside our comfort zones to experience transformation!

SEE ALSO: The Secret to Weight Loss, African-Style

We hate being uncomfortable.

This is not something we enjoy as humans, hence the phrase “comfort zone.” We obviously rate pleasure much higher than we rate pain, and we do whatever we can to avoid discomfort, pain, and challenging situations.

What we have to remember, though, is that what does not kill us will only make us stronger.

Challenges then, should be viewed in a somewhat positive light. In order to experience the incredible, we must act incredibly: motions create emotions.

If we smile, we feel happy. If we hug someone, we feel loved. If we speak with confidence, we will feel more confident. And if we act in ways to achieve our goals, we will experience the triumph and jubilation of meeting those goals.

However, to act incredibly requires us to do something extraordinary, which means taking ourselves in to an arena of discomfort, unfamiliar surroundings, and the undertaking of new skills and habits.

What you must remember is that successful people, and those who seem to repeatedly achieve new goals and objectives, aren’t necessarily more intelligent than you, don’t necessarily have higher education, or a greater amount of luck.

They simply understand that to arrive at a magical new destination, they must be challenged, both mentally and physically.

So then, on your journey to discover your new self — a happier and healthier version of your current self — you must establish goals.

However, to reap the changes that your goals and desires will deliver, it is crucial your journey toward your goals is challenging: nothing happens, no forward steps are taken until goals are established.

And no changes are apparent until challenges are created and conquered.

To create success and to be successful, it is essential you do things differently to how they’re currently being done. Whatever the context — business, health, relationships — this means you may have to work harder and/or longer, give something up, apply new strategies, seek advice, enter the unknown, explore unchartered territory, sweat more, delegate, or even revisit the past.

And it may even be a combination of all of the above.

No matter what “flavor” the challenge presents itself as, as long as you apply yourself ever so diligently and conscientiously along your path to your chosen goal, you can bet your life that the “flavor” will be ever so sweet when you arrive at your destination.

Results ONLY start when you’ve left your comfort zone and stopped all excuses.

Therefore, you should have that “oh-my-goodness-I-feel-like-I’m-about-to-die-but-won’t“ feeling when you work out.

This indicates you’re out of your “maintenance mode” comfort zone and your body actually understands you’re trying to change it.

You MUST do what you NEVER do to see what you NEVER see. 🙂

You can and will do it.

I know you can.

Put your mind to it. Learn how to “swim” by taking off that “life jacket” and “swimming” to your goal.

It’s not easy, but it can and will be done.