Let’s face it, a vast majority of us (including yours truly) aren’t productivity ninjas nor have the genius of the iconic entreprenuers the world admires and idolizes. We’re normal people with living ordinary lives with ordinary challenges that are hyperbolized for ‘effects.’
One of the most talked about (as in overused, overassessed and over-abused) challenge is that ‘we don’t feel like doing it.’ Yeah, what used to be categorized as ‘laziness’ is not officially a challenge. Think about it, essentially we’re talking about a ‘lack of desire.’ Isn’t that psychology 101?
I’m a world-class slacker who likes to push to the limits only when I ‘feel like it.’ Sure, I get up early (mostly, but there was a time when I used to get up at 3 am every single day!), break a sweat, lift weights, manage a full-time job with a bunch of serious side-projects too! But I believe I do all that mostly out of habit than anything else.
If I were to incorporate something right now, it’ll be challenging. And that’s putting it lightly. I would whine, cry, complain, get irritated, write about it, share it with my friends, family and loved ones only get back to square one — a problem yet to be resolved. From my experience, the only aspect of any reasonable challenge is that one has to go through the grind to make it work. Everything else is just wishful thinking.
The past 6 months I’ve been trying to incorporate kettlebell training in the evenings to supplement my strength training routine. I thought it was a much more efficient way to manage energy, time and resources. I was right but the approach wasn’t for me. Because I’m lazy and I don’t have the energy to convince myself to go through a 20-25 minute grind, yet again.
Upon deeper analysis I realised that the only way I can incorporate additional training (for GPP – general physical preparedness or cardio for the general folks) is by managing my current routine and filling in the gaps. I was literally at the mercy of a bunch of dependencies in the evening. Why fight the resistance when there’s an easy way? And that was to simply tweak my 5-day strength regime to a 4-day one and plug in GPP for the remaining three days.
Yeah, training every single day sounds brutal but it isn’t. GPP for me works like a recharge and a change of pace (literally) from the usual stuff. That said, getting started on GPP isn’t easy. I still have a dependency — my mood. Who wants to swing a 32 kilo kettlebell for like 100 reps (over 10 sets, I’m not crazy)? I don’t want to but I have to because I need to.
So, instead of swings I now start with those grinding turkish get-ups and get myself in the zone. By the time I get to the swings, it’s gets easy. I just need to focus on a few focused reps, rest and then do it again. For just 10 sets. Pretty doable. And the best part is how I feel at the end of the workout — on top of the world!
Get on with it. One grind at a time. Call it a motto, if you will. But that’s the key to getting going and build a powerful habit eventually. I’ve used this hack for not just physical training but for each and every aspect of your life.