A few weekends ago I had the opportunity to compete at a local bodybuilding show called the Vancouver Pro/Am Expo held here in Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. Even though I did not achieve my ultimate goal of winning the overall title in the Men’s Open Bodybuilding Division I wouldn’t say the weekend was a complete failure. In fact, as I discussed in an earlier blog I learned more about my body while training for this particular show then in any of the other shows I’ve ever competed in.

There are many different reasons why people compete in physique competitions that go far beyond vanity. Some people enter these shows for the challenge and discipline it takes to dramatically transform their physiques in a manner of just a few short months. While others may compete for the sheer reason to win and for their love for competition. And then there are the people who just have an overall passion for fitness and health and a life long dream to see just how far they can take their bodies physically through intense training and rigorous dieting.

Whatever a person’s reason for competing on stage or for doing anything that requires hard work, and full mental and physical devotion to accomplishing what they set out to achieve first requires a goal. If you don’t have a goal then you don’t have a purpose. If you don’t have a purpose then you don’t have a reason. And if you don’t have a reason then why would you even bother setting a goal? Yet, we all still have goals. Some might be health related while others might be financially related. But if there’s no real reason, desire or time line set to accomplish these goals then they will most likely never be achieved. And this is in my opinion why most of us fail when it comes to reaching our goals.

“I’ll Do It Tomorrow”

Sound familiar? We’ve all been guilty of procrastinating at least a few times in our lives. However from what I’ve learned over the years is that procrastination only leads to avoiding the inevitable and putting something off doesn’t make it go away. Whereas getting it done does. Therefore the things that I usually hate doing such as billing and invoicing I force myself to do at the very beginning of each month. For me, this is almost like ripping the bandaid off so to speak. As much as I may dislike all the paper work and headaches that come along with owning and operating my own business, I understand that the work must simply be done and the longer I put off this work the less productive and successful my company will become.

“As Soon As I Have This” or “As Soon As That’s Out Of The Way, I Can Get Started”

Ah yes. I love this one! This is a popular procrastination excuse at it’s very best. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had someone tell me that he or she will do this or be able to accomplish that as soon as a certain obstacle is out of their way or until they have enough time and/or money to get started. Well incase you didn’t notice life is very unpredictable. We all get thrown curve balls from time to time but I believe how we deal with them as they come will define us as human beings. Rather then dwell on not having enough funds to hire a Personal Trainer or being able to find the time to go the gym and workout, focus on what you can do. If that means joining a small group class that’s more cost effective for your budget then do it! If that means waking up an hour earlier to go train then do it! A 30 minute workout is better then no workout and a healthy homemade meal is better for you then some highly processed fast food take-out dish that you pick up on your way home from work (and it’s also more cost-effective as well!). Don’t get caught up on the minor details, focus on the bigger picture and the results will come.

“What’s The Point?”

Finally when most of us fail to reach our goals we justify our failures by giving up on our goals all together. I see this all too often, and feel sorry for individuals who have just stopped trying and have settled for mediocre results and a monotonous lifestyle. I  can never bring myself to understand these types of people. It’s almost as if their internal fire has died and they are now just living through the everyday motions and monotony of life. My Stepfather passed away last year at the fairly young age of 65. He battled 3 different types of cancers during the last few years of his life. I watched him go through multiply surgeries, weekly chemotherapy treatments and endless bouts of pain and discomfort throughout the entire process. But I can honestly say that he didn’t give up hope nor did he give up the fight until his very last moment alive. He remained positive and strong and never once did he give up on his goal to live. Even though my Stepfather died, he did not fail on his goal. He lived much longer then the doctors expected him to live and he was able to live out his final years on his own terms. He was not bed ridden nor did he allow others to wait on him hand and foot. My Stepfather found a reason to live. His goal was to be with his family for as long as he possibly could and he did just that. My Stepfather made me believe that there’s always a point.

“Winners Never Quit and Quitters Never Win”

This week’s blog was not aimed at taking shots on those of you who may procrastinate from time to time. I actually wrote it more as a reminder to myself that no matter how difficult and busy life may get that it’s important to set aside time for ourselves. And by this I don’t mean going to the spa or booking an all inclusive vacation. I mean working on tasks that will allow us to move forward in life and continue to allow us to accomplish our goals while setting new ones. I’ve never given up on accomplishing any of my goals. Some have taken longer to achieve while others may never fully be achieved. But like my Step Father taught me, as long as I continue to fight, have reason and never give up hope, no matter what the final result is, I will have already succeeded.

Yours in Good Health,

Nick Cosgrove