You know when you’re mid-workout, right in the middle of a killer set of squats, and every ounce of your body wants to quit… throw in the towel… call it a day. Do you give up or push through the pain?
I’m not the most self-disciplined knife in the drawer. If there’s a cookie in front of me, I rarely pass it up. But I am truly awed by those rare individuals with ironclad self-control. You know the ones: they workout a little harder, eat a little cleaner and have the body to prove it. Tommy Cassano is that person. The Amenzone Lead Trainer and lululemon Fashion Square Ambassador came by his 10-pack abs honestly: he works out 3 times a day. So how does he stay so disciplined? Read on for his willpower secrets…
1. Find your inner motivation. Continuous progression is what truly motivates me to take it to the next level in every aspect of life. Complacency is one of the most dangerous places to be mentally because you lose your potential to grow as an individual. Everyone hits a brick wall at some point; as a trainer it’s my sole responsibility to guide them to that door. Once they make that decision to push-past, it lights an inner fire like no other.
2. Clear your mind of negativity. I continuously train myself to omit negative words from my vocabulary such as “can’t” and “won’t.” Last year, I spontaneously entered a sprint triathlon last minute thinking I’d remember my swim lessons from when I was 8 years old. Didn’t happen. I was one of the first in the water and soon watched the last group of elderly women fly past me. I could have easily quit – it honestly took every ounce of energy physically and mentally to doggie paddle that 1/2 mile – but I got out of the lake with more fire and finished 2nd in my age group.
3. Persistency is key. A fellow lulu ambassador once told me, “persistency is the mother of all change!” If you want to achieve your goals, you must be persistent day in and day out. Everyone is faced with adversity along their journey, which in my mind makes us stronger as individuals and more passionate to fulfill our dreams.
4. Don’t think of healthy living as something separate from normal life. When I was in corporate real estate, I traveled all over the world with an unlimited expense account. I could easily have given into the sweet temptations of endless eating and drinking with clients. However, I was the guy everyone made fun of because I’d get off the plane, go to the gym and find the closest Whole Foods. It really comes down to having self-discipline and respect for yourself. You can always indulge in the short-term pleasures, but ultimately it will just generate long-term pain. Your body is number one and the only place you have to live!
5. The sky’s not the limit, your mind is. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. If something is not working for you, no one is going to fix it but you. Having 100% control over your mind is probably the hardest thing anyone can ever achieve. However, if you can start training and transforming your mind, then your body will follow.
