As it turns out, the best time for me to think is between sets in the weightroom. There is something special that happens when you are just finished being focus on your lift and sit down with nothing else to fill your mind. Then something happens, as best quoted from Dr. Ray Stantz in Ghostbusters, " I couldn't help it. It just popped in there." And that it was a bountiful stream of clarity happens from where ideas start flowing. The most vivid today was from a conversation I had with a few athletes from this past Monday.
Understand that for the majority of the day I am surrounded by 18-23 year old college students, and for better or worse I enjoy their trust and the need for them to relay every turgid piece of information that happens outside the time we spend training. Coming off the Fourth of July rest week, the majority of stories we based around people visiting with friends or family, cookouts, fireworks, and typical knuckle-head events. But then there were a few tales from the gym and the workouts people put themselves through. As I enjoy hearing about their creativity, I always follow up with my one-two punch. What's your goal? And did this get you closer to accomplishing it?
With as many times I have asked those questions, it's amazing that people still don't know how to respond. The typical answer is a shrug of the shoulders and " I don't know." Which is surprising since the groups that I work with are committed athletes working on improving their performance in their sport. What I try to impart to them is how time is the most valuable resource they have. It's something you cannot ever get back and once you spend your time, it's gone. The result of your time investment determines if that was a good decision or not.
Don't misunderstand that statement. Playing video games (which my parents have always claimed as a waste of time) is still my number one me time event and has been since getting my Nintendo in 1988. When you are truly enjoying your activity (or lack there of) it's never a waste of time. If you are not hurting yourself or others and you have completed your jobs for the day, it's your life do what you want. We all have our own way to recharge and blow off the day.
What I am getting after, are how your choices impact your goals. I've had it in one shape or another from everyone who has been important in my life, and it sums up to: Do it right the first time!
One of the habits I've picked up in my adult life is to observe and study how things happen, in a very non-stalker sort of way. I see it time and again, people who are successful do things right the first time, while people who aren't successful often have to redo what they are working on. This means that they have to take time they could be using on other efforts to fix something that you could have done once. This thought extends to everything that you do in life. How do you think you are going to be successful at sports or manage a Fortune 500 company if you cannot do something simple as washing the dishes right?
So remember, get it done the right way the first time. If you are trying to get stronger or faster train that way, and not waste your time getting ready for a marathon. Need to add some muscle or drop some pounds, prepare your food when you have time on a slow night or weekend so you don't stress out after work and fall into temptation.
Until next time. Keep doing it right and be amazed at the free time that you will have on your hands!
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