做最好的自己

If I asked you were it possible for you to get into the best shape of your life, we could agree that it is. If I asked you were it possible for you to become smarter than you've ever been, I think we could agree that you could work hard, study, learn, and practice more than you ever had. But strangely, the idea of becoming the "perfect version" of ourselves seems so unobtainable. It seems impossible.

But it isn't. It just requires you to work harder and more diligently than you ever have before. Is it worth it? Just ask yourself this. Would you like to be the smartest, best looking, fittest, funniest, best dressed, most compassionate, loving person you've ever been? Would you like to be your own definition of the perfect person?

If, like me, you answered yes, then you've taken the first step to becoming your best self. The journey is long, the obstacles hard. The plan, though, is simple. Define, plan, execute, redefine, plan again, execute again, etc. Let's go over the plan in a little more detail.

Plan – think about your perfect self. What does he or she look like? How does he speak? How does he think? How does he eat? How does he interact with others? What do people think of him? What is he capable of, that you aren't? Define your perfect self in adjectives that are measurable and obtainable. Things like "he is lean and strong, with a low body fat percentage and a good amount of visible muscle," or "she speaks well, avoids idle conversation, and is listened to and respected by all of those that she communicates with."

Take those descriptions and plan out how long it would take for you to achieve each and every one of them. For instance "if I am at 17% body fat, and I can lose 1 lb per week, it will take me 20 weeks to get to my goal body fat percentage," or "I speak often without thinking about what I'm saying. This lends to people not caring about my thoughts or respecting my opinions. I need to spend the next 3 months focusing on my idle talk."

Then implement a "snowball method" towards becoming your perfect self. Start with the shortest timed goals. I will floss every day" will only take about a week or two to perfect, whereas "I will be able to run a marathon" might take much longer. As soon as you've made a description habit, move to the next one (while continuing the first, of course). With each habit you introduce into your newly constructed lifestyle, you will be 1 step closer to your perfect self. You will also gain momentum with each goal, which will motivate you towards the next goal. By the time you reach the goals that could take months or even years to implement, you’ll be so full of new skills and motivation that you’ll tackle them with no problem.

Remember that each of your goals should have purpose. You may found as I have that a couple of months (or years) down the line that a certain goal of yours no longer suits your best interest. Maybe there is no good purpose for being 10% body fat, but instead you find it important to have functional strength and cardiovascular stamina. In this case you would align your plan to fit your new goals. Instead of focusing on body fat percentage, you would plan workouts that focused on increasing strength and stamina.

With the victory of each goal implemented into your lifestyle you'll be one step closer to becoming your vision of your perfect self. Each victory will mark a decision you made and plan that you carried out, work that you did to make yourself better. You'll feel better about yourself with each victory, and with the learning of each new skill or the discipline of each new focus, you’ll find it that much easier to move to the next goal.

It's a long journey to the top of the mountain, but it's completely obtainable, and totally worth the effort. Start climbing today, and you'll be well on your way before you even start feeling the pain. Good luck, and I’ll see you at the top!

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