Modern Health - Be a Student, Have a Teacher
/The ability to leapfrog others in progress is rooted in your willingness to gather and assimilate information from those who have gone before you. An insatiable thirst for understanding and learning is the key to sustainable progress in all areas of life, your health and fitness being no exception. With a competent teacher every new opportunity, failure and success along the way is an opportunity for reflection, evaluation and adjustment going forward.
Professional athletes have coaches and trainers. Entrepreneurs and CEO’s have mentors. Yet many people believe that fitness is something they need to figure out on their own.
They’ll often waste time and money following fads and gimmicks, always believing their success lies on the other side of the next Celery Juice Detox or 21-Day Reset. All this while the key to success was there the whole time: you need to find someone who knows more than you to guide and teach you!
It’s true that teachers often come in many different forms. Depending on where you are in your journey, it could be a peer that is on a similar path but slightly ahead of you. In the fitness world this often takes the form of a workout partner. Sometimes a more formal relationship, such as a hired trainer or coach helps by adding accountability and direction to the mix. And yes there is still a place for books, articles or one size for all workout plans as long as they’re teaching you something.
It matters less how you’re learning, and more that you are in fact learning.
Those that succeed at the highest levels always have an uncanny understanding of what it is that they are doing and why they are doing it. This understanding is not accidental, it’s actually quintessential to their success.
Can you imagine a successful executive who didn’t have a thorough understanding of the industry they are in? Neither can I. Seek to understand and learn and not only will you be able to make better choices in the short term but you’ll also develop an understanding that will help you make better progress in the long term. Stick with it long enough and to your pleasant surprise you might even surpass your teacher.
