4,5 years ago, I started a new habit: Working out. Weightlifting to be more specific. I had no idea what I was doing, but in retrospect, I must have been doing something right. The whole process was comparatively easy. Lifting heavy weights is of course hard af, but I never had any issues keeping this habit up and running. This is why I used my approach to weightlifting as a blueprint for pretty much any other goal in my life. I’m sharing these key learnings as there might be something in it for you as well.
Clarity on the goal
I knew exactly what I wanted: Be as buff as possible (with max health, so nope to steroids, etc). In other words: Reach the upper limit of muscle mass my body is naturally capable of. Whether that’s the “right thing” to aim for is of course debatable, but at least it’s precise. And therefore so much easier to derive concrete actions from than with a more general goal like “I want to be fit”. What the hell does that even mean? How would you measure that?
Key learning: Have a well-defined goal. Avoid having goals just for the sake of having goals.
Make use of the initial burst of motivation
Like many other guys with similar stories, I had a certain source of motivation: A recent breakup. And yeah, I was the one that got dumped. As stereotypical as it might be, I suddenly felt the urge to get jacked. Whether to prove my worth, to become a better person, or simply to distract myself from any underlying issues that contributed to the breakup, doesn’t matter. I found myself with a whole lot of pent-up energy and extra time on my hands. And I put that to good use.
Whenever you set a goal, you probably have a reason to do so. It doesn’t need to be a breakup. Actually, I would hope it’s not. It could be much more pleasant, like feeling inspired after watching a documentary on bodybuilding. No matter the reason, its motivational effect will subside eventually, so act while it’s still at a high level!
Key learning: When you feel the initial burst of motivation, utilize it, build momentum and keep it up. It’s much easier to keep going than it is to get going.
Clarity on the process
Having defined the goal, getting to the process was easy: A whole lot of research.
I had nothing to build off of. Back in school, I was always picked last for team sports. And I don’t hold that against my classmates, I totally get why. I was lanky, weak, and scared of pretty much everything, especially fast-moving balls. Not exactly what you’d look for in that scenario. Let’s make this clear: There is nothing wrong with any of that. Being bad at sports didn’t diminish my worth as a human being. I had other subjects to focus on anyway, like maths. Which is exactly what I did. However, I lost all interest in PE, and subsequently never got good at anything related to physical exercise.
But that was fine. If you look for ways to maximize muscle growth, one activity comes out on top: resistance training. Prerequisites: The ability to count to 10. So I was good to go.
Having set my eye on weightlifting, I found a ton of useful information online. It took some effort to weed out people trying to sell me on useless crap from those who are delivering real value, but eventually, I found a few top-notch sources.
Key learning: Once you know what you want, do some research and find ways to get there that match your lifestyle and personality. Define a process that makes use of your strengths, and works despite your weaknesses.
Change your identity
I got a gym membership and showed up religiously, despite being the smallest and definitely least experienced guy to ever set foot in this temple to the god of gains.
Basically overnight I:
- Knew I wanted to be buff
- Knew how to get buff (well, the rudimentary basics)
- And put in the work
Therefore, I must be a guy who’s really into fitness, right? Who cares about the fact that one week prior, none of that was true?
Well, let me tell you: Your friends, family, and colleagues care. I went in deep, full throttle, and I remember their initial reactions: “Why do you need protein powder? You’re not one of those big hunks.” “Working out that much doesn’t suit you.” “I wouldn’t buy the yearly membership if I were you, you’ll stop going eventually.”
Promise me one thing: Don’t ever do that to anyone! Don’t project, don’t assume, and don’t belittle people who are making the effort to do better than before, even if you have no reason to believe they’ll make it.
Changing and accepting your new identity is as hard as it is crucial. Even if you don’t (yet) believe in ever reaching your goals, believe in your new identity: You are someone who’s gonna do everything they can to get there.
I could write whole articles on limiting beliefs. And as it turns out, I did!
How to crush your limiting beliefs Part I
How to crush your limiting beliefs Part II
Key learning: Fuck all limiting beliefs you had before (warning: people in your life might perpetuate them for a while) and accept your new identity as someone who’s dead set on reaching their goals.
Pleasure and pain
At this point, I had successfully overcome the initial friction that you typically experience when trying to adopt a new habit. I remember how much willpower it took at first to pack the gym bag, leave the house, and spent an hour awkwardly failing to replicate proper squat technique from some video on the internet. I wasn’t exactly comfortable a few weeks later, but damn, it was so much easier.
I began to notice how my posture improved and was able to spot hints of muscles on my body. Stopping now would not only mean giving up my dreams of becoming a bigger, buffer me, but also saying goodbye to these first benefits. And while getting used to things can be a curse at times, in this scenario it’s extremely useful. I quickly grew fond of every little improvement and wasn’t willing to return to the life I had before.
Key learning: It helps to reap the first rewards after a few weeks to months. If your goal doesn’t come with inherent rewards, create artificial ones. Routinely remind yourself of what's on the line, if you were to stop chasing your goals.
Track your progress
I love graphs. Tracking your weight and watching the numbers go up and down is so much more impactful once you visualize it in an intuitive way. And if set up correctly, these graphs provide instant feedback. I created graphs for everything. My weight, body fat, lean mass, circumference measurements, shoulder to waist ratio, training volume throughout a mesocycle... They held me accountable. If I wanted graphs, I needed to track that stuff. And if I wanted the lines in those graphs to go in the desired direction, I needed to optimize my training, nutrition, etc.
Key learning: Track the progress towards your goals, as well as related key performance indicators. Visualize the data to increase the impact.
Iterate
A couple of months into my fitness journey, I noticed my progress slowing down a bit. I couldn’t increase the weight in every single workout anymore and wasn’t happy with the amount of fat relative to lean mass I was gaining. So I played around with different variables such as caloric intake, my workout program as well as frequency. And eventually, I broke through those plateaus.
Key learning: Once you notice your progress slowing down, start to iterate and try out new stuff.
Fitness is a key habit
This shouldn’t be news to anyone: Your physical health and fitness must not be neglected. Yeah, it does take time and effort to get them to a satisfying level, but trust me, the return on investment is unparalleled!
I knew all that before I got fit, at least in theory. Still, the degree to which working out improved literally every other aspect of my life took me by surprise. To name but a few:
- higher energy level (even though it doesn’t feel like that right after a tough workout)
- people treat you differently, in positive ways. You get more attention and respect
- better sleep
- higher levels of confidence
- the grind becomes the new normal, which will help with achieving long term goals
Key learning: Some habits are better than others. And physical fitness is among the best. So when in doubt, focus on habits with a high return on investment first.
Focus on the basics
Especially in the beginning, I knew nothing but the basics:
- Proper nutrition
- Enough sleep
- Progressive overload in the gym (basically lift more than last time)
Sounded simple enough, and once I got the hang of it, it was.
No matter how advanced you are, these factors will account for the vast majority of your success in the gym. Perfect meal timing, going beyond failure, periodization, or hyped supplements (apart from steroids probably) cannot make up for shitty nutrition or a lack of sleep. Which sucks for elite bodybuilders, but will make your life as a beginner much more enjoyable, as you only have to care about 20% of what they are doing, and still get 80% of their results.
Key learning: Follow the 80/20 rule. Focusing on the basics will get you close to reaching your goals. You can figure out the rest later.
Reward yourself with fancy gimmicks
Eating right, sleeping enough, and consistently pushing myself in the gym was key, and I knew that. Still, I wanted to try some of the more advanced stuff. Taking supplements like creatine for instance. No, creatine is not a steroid... Or treating myself with a scoop of pre-workout every now and then. Are they worth their money? Not necessarily. Would it be smarter to invest it somewhere else? Probably. But it made working out feel more rewarding. And it strengthened my new identity as someone who’s into fitness even further.
Key learning: Gimmicks that make reaching your goals easier (even if it’s just a placebo effect) can increase your commitment.
Stay humble
4,5 years later, I’m still a beginner. There is so much more to learn. If you took a close look at my routines, my nutrition, and my form, you can easily spot mistakes pretty much everywhere. This is why I refrain from giving detailed advice when it comes to fitness. And despite years of experience, I keep doing my research, while trying to stay as unbiased as I possibly can. I expect the same mindset from my mentors and the experts I listen to.
Key learning: Don’t ever fall into the trap of thinking “you made it“ or you have it all figured out. And pick mentors who are humble despite their obvious expertise.
