If discipline is a constant in your life, success and happiness will be as well. Too many of us see discipline as an inhibitor rather than a liberator, an obstacle rather than a gateway to happiness, success, and freedom. No great feat has been accomplished without discipline; and “great feats” can’t be attained by mere “routine”, but fanatical, enthusiastic, relentless discipline.
If all you’re content to do is what you’ve always been doing, what you know you can do, and what everyone else is doing, then you’re not going to go above and beyond. And my guess is that’s what you’d ideally want; something beyond what’s expect of you, and easy for you to accomplish.
On a personal note, the times in my life where I wanted something so bad that I would do anything to accomplish it, were also the periods in my life that were ruled by discipline. Not only that, they were – and are – the happiest times in my life. They have to be, because everything that I am doing – and was doing – is directly benefitting my primary goal or dream.
How can you not be happy if you’re doing what you love? But wait, are your actions in line with what you think you want? Or do your actions give another story?
“Discipline is remembering what you want.” ~ David Campbell
Why would you do something that is out of line with what you want in life?
Somehow, that’s what most of us do every single day…
We spend more time doing things that won’t help us get what we want in life.
Which means, we don’t really want what we think we want. If we did, we’d spend more time doing those things that get us closer to these goals. We say we want to be rich, but we spend more time on Facebook than on building our business. We say we want to be fit but we spend more time watching TV than running, lifting, and building our ideal body. We say we want to be happy, and yet more of our thoughts are given to worry, fear, and negativity. Thus, happiness isn’t what we really want, we’re content to feel sorry for ourselves, actually, we love feeling sorry for ourselves.
Misery is our companion. Happiness is merely our mistress.
If you really want what you think you want, you’ll spend more time doing what will bring you this goal.
Let’s make success in anything as simple and focused as possible. Let’s cut the bullshit, get to the root of the matter, and start being successful, rich, and happy today. Forget about tomorrow and about the past. Let’s make what we want occur today. Right now.
Over the next week we’ll cover 3 topics:
- Building our ideal body (today).
- Becoming financially free.
- Being happy.
We’ll cover all three topics in a simple, matter of fact, honest, no-bullshit manner. We’ll cut to the core of the matter, take out all fluff, and phony motivation that many use to make you feel like you’re doing great things when you’re actually doing nothing.
These articles will be a calling out, a chance for you to look in the mirror and be real with yourself and what you truly want in life, but it’ll also serve as a ‘how to’. I’m not just going to leave you hanging with the reality check that you’ll surely get from each post, but with action steps you can take if you do really want what you think you want.
Here’s the thing, our actions determine what we get in life. If our actions are in line with our ambitions, then we’ll get what we want if we stay the course, and persist through ups and downs. If we don’t do what’s necessary for a long enough time, we’re be left with regret.
When My Ambitions Aligned With My Actions![chad howse](http://www.chadhowsefitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/before-pic1-200x3001.jpg)
I wasn’t born with my ideal body. Not that anyone is, but the point is that my genetics didn’t automatically give me the muscular, ripped physique that I wanted when I started weight training. In fact, it took 8 years until I finally started seeing results. When those results began, it then took only 32 weeks before I created my end goal.
Those 8 years of failure are more important than the 8 months of success, because it was in those 8 years of trial and error where I determined what not to do. Once I understood what not to do, I could then focus only what what does work, alas, my transformation occurred.
Those 8 years, however, weren’t merely spent doing the wrong workouts or following the wrong nutrition plans, but not doing what would get me what I wanted. My motivation wained. My discipline wavered. My success never came.
When my ambitions and my actions finally lined up together and I created the focus and the discipline that such a goal requires, I found success pretty damn quickly. You’ll see more about what I did to find success below. Keep in mind, that if you do these things for long enough, you’ll find success as well.
But if you don’t. If you start, but get lazy, lose hope, faith, and motivation, you won’t. Which begs the question…
Do You Actually Want Your Ideal Body?
Understand that I’m sympathetic to this quest, don’t mix any harsh words to come, with a lack of understanding for your position and the struggles that come with wanting to improve yourself physically. It’s a tough road. I know this. I spent 8 years on this road, and with this desire, working daily but achieving nothing. I felt like a hamster in a hamster-wheel, or a human on a treadmill – I still can’t get on one of those things, walking or running outside seems so much more peaceful and exciting, but to each their own.
However, building a great body is a very simple endeavor. Sure there’s a lot of bullshit out there that can confuse you and contradict other information. But you’re here where we keep things simple, effective, and I only bring you stuff that works (I’m serious about this, everything I bring to you on this site has been tried and tested). So don’t use that excuse anymore, please.
The information is here. Action and discipline are all that need to accompany it.
For example, if you want your ideal body, you’ll do all of the following. You’ll enjoy doing all of the following because each step brings you closer to your ideal body. Thus, if you’re doing things that will get you what you really want, you should, in theory, enjoy doing at least most of it. If you don’t really want it, you won’t enjoy any of this stuff.
- You’ll workout 4-6 times a week. This isn’t optional. It isn’t contingent on your schedule or how you feel, it’s just something you do.
- You’ll work hard during your workouts. Whichever program you choose, you’ll work hard. You understand that you’re in the gym now, because it’s just what you do, so you may as well work hard. Why would you not, right?
- You’ll focus the majority of your carbs after your workout. This is when you feed your muscles not your body’s fat stores. Have a protein shake and a post workout meal 1-2 hours later that’s high in lean proteins and good carbs.
- You’ll persist. You’re not going to start a program then jump to another one when you get bored. You’re in this for the long haul, until your goal is reached.
- You’ll surround yourself with people who want – or have – the same thing as you, because you know that the more positive influences you have around you, the easier your road to success will be. Does this mean that you have to distance yourself from your friends? If they bring you down, yes. If they lift you up, no.
- You’ll be real with yourself. If you don’t want it, don’t go after it. Don’t enter the arena. Stay on the sidelines and watch others do and accomplish what you once claimed you wanted.
- You’ll invest in yourself and your goals. You’ll buy the right foods. You’ll invest in a gym membership. You’ll spend money that will help you achieve your goals rather than wasting any money on anything that will bring you away from them.
- You’ll prepare for success in less than ideal circumstances. If you’re traveling you’ll prepare ahead so your progress doesn’t stop or decline. You’ll pre-cook your meals for the week so you don’t get stuck eating crappy food.
- You’ll be consistent. You’re not just going to do all of this for a week, but for the year, or until your goals are reached.
If you really want to build your ideal body you’re not going to be so ignorant as to leave it to chance. Chance doesn’t work, a plan of action does.
If you really want to build your ideal body you’re going to invest in yourself, your goals, and your education. You’re going to hire a trainer or join a class or buy a program. While the first two will cost hundreds or thousands, a program that will show you what to eat, when to eat it, and how to train for 9 months will only run you $47 – a no brainer.
If you truly want your ideal body, you’ll invest in yourself because you know that you’re going to make it worth it. You know that you’re not going to waste that money because you’re going to do the work. This is what you want. If something helps you get it, bring it on.
Which brings me to who I don’t want buying my programs. If you’re not going to actually use the products I’ve created, then why buy them? Don’t bother, spend your money on something you do want. $47 (sale price on now) isn’t nothing. It’s still a few dollar bills, so don’t just toss it away on a whim. Because the only way you’re going to find value in what I’ve created, is to do the work. And if you do the work, you’re going to find incredible value that reaches far beyond that minuscule price point.
If you will do the work, click here to buy the PowerHowse Challenge. If you’re not going to do the work, keep pretending like you want it, but acting like you don’t.
I Used to Be a Fraud![chad howse work](http://www.chadhowsefitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/chad-howse-58.jpg)
Fraud’s – and I’ve been one at some point in my life – ask questions and pretend like they want something. They like the feeling of tinkering with the notion that they’re actually accomplishing something, embarking on a mission, or moving towards a goal, but they don’t like work. They don’t like discipline. They don’t like sacrifice.
They don’t like anything I just mentioned because they don’t really want what they claim they want.
Here’s the thing, and hopefully you’ve made it this far in the article to read this part, you can go from being a fraud to being a warrior. I used to go through the motions with my business when it first started many a year ago. I didn’t do the work that needed to be done. I didn’t hustle. I wasn’t maniacal with my discipline, focus, and work ethic.
Now, however, I am.
What changed? Well, what changed was my mind set. I got real with myself about what I truly wanted in life, and you’re going to have to do the same. Do you want to wallow in flabby mediocrity, or do you want to walk amongst the giants, the Legends, and the people in this world that you truly respect as an equal, even a superior?
If you decide to change, to focus, to hustle, your success isn’t a matter of if, but when.
If you want to construct your ideal body every day of your life will reflect this, including your cheat days, because even the days off are a part of the process. Your actions will show the world who you’re becoming. Your actions will lead you to get what you want. Simply by being here, by reading this article, I know that what you want is even greater than what you currently have, and I know I can help you get there. Be Legendary. Be a Warrior.