When Irish-born Conor McGregor got a job as a plumber, it wasn’t his dream job. He didn’t enjoy the work, and he struggled to make a living. Even though working in a skilled trade was the status-quo, he wanted something better.
If you’ve experienced the frustration of yo-yo dieting, tried lifting weights but didn’t get the results you expected, or simply don’t know where to start to lose weight, build muscle, or transform your body, you probably know what it’s like to feel stuck.
Want to know how to go from where you are to where you want to be?
Motivation to change
If you’ve made it this far, you’re headed in the right direction. Just being open to the idea that you’re ready for a change is a big step to making progress.[1]
So where do you go from here?
You’ve got to figure out what you want to do.
Define your goal
Conor McGregor realized he had to change his situation. And he thought about it a lot. He kept a journal. He spent a few focused minutes a day thinking and writing about what he really wanted to do, become a pro mixed-martial arts fighter.
What’s your goal? What do you want to accomplish in three months, six months, a year? For example:
- Lose weight
- Build muscle
- Get six-pack abs
- Compete in an event (race, bodybuilding show, CrossFit, obstacle course, etc.)
Break it down
Get clear on what you want to accomplish and why. Maybe you want to look better and feel better. Maybe you need to get in better shape to perform better at work. Maybe you want to be healthy and set a good example for your kids. Or perhaps you need to eat better and be more active to avoid chronic disease.
Once you define your goal and why it’s important to you, you can start developing an action plan to help you achieve your goal. The more specific you are, the better. Break down your goal into daily action steps you can take to make progress. For example:
- Set a time to workout every day.
- Prep your meals a week at a time.
- Create a bedtime routine to ensure you get enough sleep.
- Track everything you eat and pay attention to macros and calories.
- Hire a trainer or find a support group to keep you accountable
- Use reminders on your phone to help you drink more water.
If you’re not sure what to eat, how to train, or what a realistic health and fitness goal is for the next month, three months, six months, etc., ask for help. My customized training and nutrition plans are designed to take the guesswork out achieving your health and fitness goals.
Execute your action plan
When you create an action plan with a defined list of tasks, it becomes a roadmap to help you go from where you are to where you want to be.
McGregor kept his job as a plumber, but he went to work on his big goal. He was an amatuer mixed-martial arts fighter. He trained hard when he wasn’t at work. He won a few fights. And he kept up his daily mindfulness habits of journaling, meditating, and thinking about his big goal.
What are you going to do today, tomorrow, next week, to help you get closer to your goal?
Don’t give up
While McGregor was still collecting a welfare check, he landed a contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He took down UFC fighter Marcus Brimage in the first round, and put down his plumber’s wrench for good after that.[2]
You can be sure, McGregor had some dark days turning wrenches and dreaming of winning a UFC fight. Change doesn’t come easy.
If you’re trying to shred fat, build muscle, or transform your body, accept the fact that you’re going to encounter obstacles along the way. Nobody makes progress in a perfectly linear fashion.
You have to learn to keep going, even when you get knocked down by things like:
- Overeating
- Getting sick
- Missing workouts
- Personal challenges at home/work
- A hectic schedule
Whatever your goal, you’re bound to experience a kick in the face at some point in time. But you can’t let one blow take you out of the fight and give up.
Ask for help
While McGregor is in the UFC spotlight, he’s first to recognize that he didn’t make it to the octagon on his own. His girlfriend, MMA family, coaches, and fans, all played a part in helping him go from homeless to a winning fights as a pro.
Who’s on your side?
If you’ve got a support network of family, friends, and like-minded people with similar goals, research shows you’re a lot more likely to take action, stay on track, and keep going, even when it’s hard.[3]
The online support group like my private Facebook group (Team RSF), may be just the source of motivation and accountability you need to be successful.
Start
One of the best things you can do to boost motivation is almost counterintuitive. Start. That’s it. You might not know the exact path to take or how things will turn out. But taking action clears the way, opens your mind to the possibilities, and instills you with confidence little by little to keep going.
Ready to fight for your health and fitness goals? Let’s do this.
References
- Prochaska, J.O., et al. (1997). The transtheoretical model of health behavior change. American Journal of Health Promotion. From: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10170434
- Chiappetta, M. (2013). UFC on FUEL 9 results: Conor McGregor debuts with KO over Marcus Brimage. From: https://www.mmafighting.com/2013/4/6/4190582/ufc-on-fuel-9-results-conor-mcgregor-debuts-with-ko-over-marcus.
- Hwang, K., et al. (2010). Social support in an Internet weight loss community. International Journal of Medical Informatics. From: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3060773/