“…it helps remind myself that I am committing to a longer and harder process than what infomercials and magazine articles would have me believe…”

“I commit.”

This is something I have been saying to myself lately when I am lifting. This usually happens when I am into my heavy work-sets. It helps me let go of everything else and focus on the task at hand. I’ll have a quick conversation in my head to get me and it’ll go something like this:

“Do you commit?”

Yes.

“Why do you commit to this training? Why do you put yourself through this?”

To be the best version of myself I can be.

“Even if nobody is watching and nobody cares what you do?”

Yes.

“Even if nobody benefits from your training?”

Yes.

“Even if you are alone and nobody knows who you are or what you do?”

Yes.

“Do you commit to this process, even if you are the only person to benefit from your training?”

Yes.

As I do this, I will grip the bar and begin to envision the gym going dark; the people in the gym disappearing one by one.

It is just me and the bar, and then I will say, “I commit.”

This has helped me focus on the process; to the hard training. It helps me zero in on the task at hand and give everything I can to the lift, or to the activity I am doing at the gym.

Does it give me instant PR’s and gains towards my goals? No, not necessarily. Gains and PRs will come as I continue to pursue my goals. But it helps remind myself that I am committing to a longer and harder process than what infomercials and magazine articles would have me believe.

Commit to the training. Embrace the struggle, the hardship, the suffering.

I am committing to a lifestyle.

I am committing to embracing struggle.

I am committing to enduring suffering.

I am committing to overcoming hardship.

I am committing to self evolution; self betterment, self-improvement.

I am committing to health, strength, and vitality.

I am committing to engaging negative thoughts and emotions with a positive outlet.

And so much more.

Years ago, I heard a man say that he had chosen to go through the “physical door” of training in his journey first, in order to enter the “spiritual door” later. I have come to understand, just a little bit, of what he was talking about during the training of the last year.

There is a vast ocean of knowledge that you can learn about yourself and about life when you voluntarily put yourself through hard training. Those are discussions for another post.

So, my final thought here, my final encouragement to you, my dear allies, is to commit to the process.

Commit to the training. Embrace the struggle, the hardship, the suffering.

Commit.

Pursue Mastery.