I wanted to start this post by asking you a quick question, and it’s this:
Who are you?
Now, this isn’t meant to be a navel-gazing philosophical exercise. It’s just supposed to get you thinking.
You see, when we think about who we are there are probably several different versions and all of them are authentic. After all, you’re probably not the same person when you have an important meeting at work as you are when you’re having a few drinks with your friends in a bar. You’ve also got the version of you who works out and eats healthy food. And then there’s the version of you who sits on the sofa, watching TV and eating biscuits.
When you want to get in shape, you can think of it like all the different versions of you going on a road trip. Now, the size of the vehicle you need for this adventure depends on who you are. But however big or small it is, only one question matters: who’s driving?
The answer matters because whoever drives the car is in charge and dictates where you’ll end up. When the version of you who exercises and eats well is behind the wheel, you’re all good. When the guy with biscuit crumbs on his T-shirt is steering things, you might not do so well.
The good news is, you get to decide who is at the wheel. This isn’t something you’ll think about all the time but when you need to take matters into your own hands, you can.
If Fitness You is driving, you can leave him to it. But when you feel like Biscuit You has slipped into the driver’s seat you can take a moment to acknowledge that by politely asking him to pull over and take a back seat.
So what’s the point of all of this? How does thinking about yourself in this way help?
Here’s how:
Fitness You does exist
We all have a fitness guy. It’s just that some of us let him drive more than others. And some of us have bound him up and trapped him in the boot. But he is there. You just have to give him a turn at the wheel.
…so does Biscuit You
But this is fine. Where people usually go wrong is thinking that Biscuit You is riding solo. He isn’t. And even if he thinks he’s the boss, he isn’t.
You’re in charge
You have the ability to dictate who is at the wheel. But you do need to consciously intervene to be in control of the situation. It might take a bit of effort at first but the more you do it, the easier it becomes. So, the next time you sense that you’re doing something that isn’t very helpful from a fitness point of view, just ask yourself who is behind the wheel. Once you know the answer, you can decide whether or not you want to do something about it.
To be honest, you can use this technique to steer most things in your life. It gives you the chance to put the right person behind the wheel at the right time.
I hope you enjoy your trip.
Jon
Jon Lipsey,
New Body Plan creator
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