Gym Time: Aim for Progress Not Perfection
By Genevieve Cunningham
When you’ve finally made the decision to work out on a regular basis, going to the gym feels really good. The motivation is there, your energy is up, and you feel really accomplished. And you should! Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to go from feeling accomplished and determined to a workaholic with an almost impossible mission: perfection. Though we would all love a perfect body, this goal is likely never going to happen. And the truth of the matter is that you really shouldn’t be working toward it. If you’ve found that your gym time never seems to make you happy, take a look at these reasons why your goal should always be progress and never perfection.
Perfection Lacks Definition
Perfection looks different to every person. Some people want to be extremely lean. Others want to build big, bulging muscles. And still others imagine “perfect” to be a particular weight. Perfection just can’t be defined in any real way. And since it can’t be defined, it’s a constantly moving target. This means that you won’t reach goals, you’ll probably get discouraged, and giving up is on the table far more often than it should be.
Progress Allows for Success
When you aim for progress, you’ll be able to meet little goals all along the way. And the more goals that you’re able to meet and then surpass, the more motivated it keeps you. There’s nothing worse than aiming toward a goal, working hard day in and day out, and still never being happy with how far you’ve come. Drop the need for perfection, aim for progress, and you may feel a little bit of success on an almost continual basis.
You’re Human
Let’s face it: As humans, we are never going to be perfect in any aspect of life. We’ll never perfectly handle our anger. We’ll never be a perfect spouse, cook, or employee. And we’ll never, ever have the perfect body. You’ll always find something to be unhappy about. You’ll reach your goal weight, but then want bigger muscles. You’ll build strong biceps, but then want a lower number on the scale. It’s never ending! Perfect is not going to happen, so give yourself a fighting chance and don’t expect it.
Though it’s normal to want to be perfect, it’s not healthy or realistic. Don’t even try! Instead, make progress your goal, and you’re much more likely to find true success. The more progress you make, the closer you are to your idea of perfect anyway. So skip the perfection and work toward a little better every day.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Acworth, Ga.