Today’s post is more like a story and a letter combined into one for you focused around your new years resolution. Enjoy!

Once upon a time, there was this High School Cross Country team, and every week they would run a race..

Every week 50 runners would start, and as the race went on, the stronger ones started to pull ahead, and the weaker ones fell behind..

But not for this kid called Ben.

Ben is not the fastest runner on the team, he has never won a race, and most likely never will.

Ben has cerebral palsy..

This is a condition where there is “physical disability in human development”

.. or in other words, when Ben would run, his twisted spine, tender muscle, and dragging feet would cause him to fall down (.. then hit the ground hard, whereafter he’d pick himself up to keep going)

To outsiders, people with cerebral palsy can appear to be ‘broken’, and it’s no wonder that Ben would fall behind a LOT during the race.

Every race the pack would run so far ahead of him that he’d lose sight of them, and then he would be all alone..

No matter how big his mental strength, he would get frustrated and fed up with his condition..

Everyone else would finish the race after about 25 minutes, but for Ben it would always take at least 45 minutes..

When Ben eventually crosses the finish line, he is exhausted and in extreme pain.

But in the end, he did what he set his mind to, and he proved to himself that there is not such thing as a handicap.

Of course, he is a TOTAL inspiration to all of us..

BUT

.. that’s not what I’m writing you about here

This is not a story of mental toughness, throwing out your excuses, and ‘picking yourself back up after you fall down’. Those are great lessons, no doubt, but we don’t need Ben to learn those lessons.

There are many others who inspire us just as much, and we can always just watch a Rocky movie. The lesson in this story is much deeper because in every race, after 25 minutes, something amazing happens.

When everyone else is done with their race, they all run back..

–> to run with Ben

Ben is the only runner, who when he falls, has someone to help him back up.

And when Ben finishes, he has all the runners behind him. Crossing the line as a team with the same common goal -> to get Ben to finish and be part of the team..

Now what THIS teaches us, is that when you compete against everyone else, nobody wants to help you..

.. but when you compete against YOURSELF, everyone wants to help you

And there are 2 reasons I’m telling you this:

REASON ONE

We are in what been be felt as the brightest month in fitness but also the darkest. Its called New Years resolution time.

Unfortunately a minimum of 40% of people fail at their new years resolution in the first month.

Or in other words, in January you can be on a high of accomplishment or on the low of self defeat and failure.

And for the majority they don’t have the support network or accountability partners to help pick them back up and keep them on the path of moving forward.

My lecture to you today is to create your support network and pay ZERO attention to your surroundings and other people at this very moment

IF.. tight arms, a flat stomach, and lean legs is what you want, then go get it.

Use this time of year to move you forward because many others are making a new years resolution and you can create a great support network. Just be careful of who you choose. Don’t choose the people that will tempt you to go off track or that say ‘one bite won’t hurt.. come on’. And don’t choose the people who have already fallen off their resolutions!

It’s so easy to do what many others do. It’s easy to rationalize and say ‘I tried’, especially if all your coworkers do the same..

Don’t fall for that. Live in your own world. One where everyone is friendly and you do more than anyone ever would expect of you.

Boom!

REASON TWO

The second reason I told you this story is because the only person you should ever ‘beat’, is yourself.

Never lose sight of that.

Stop staring at celebrities or fitness models.. you’re not out to beat them or be like them..(and getting inspiration from fitness models is like eating at the Elephant Bar, you end up disappointed)

If you want inspiration, flex your quads and look at your side profile after a heavy leg workout.

Nothing should ever motivate you more than your OWN results (and the firmness of your butt)

What the others do is of no relevance to you, so don’t be inundated by them

For instance, with Fit Body Boot Camp I get asked all the time: “How do you guys compare to LA Fitness? Are you better than Crossfit? What about P90X?”

My answer is that I have no idea.. and Fit Body Boot Camp is by no means better than my competition on all aspects.

All I know is that the work we’re doing right now is better than it was 6 months ago and the results we have gotten with our clients is proof of that.

So imagine if you sign up today, how it will be in the next 6 months, the next year..

Start now and watch the results come your way and how competing with yourself instead of others is so rewarding.

It’s January 17th as I write this – the upcoming month will be tough as you try to maintain your new habits, but ignore the lazy, get clarity, and follow what you want to achieve

Now go create your support network, your plan and execute!