Maybe this explains why I was having such a difficult time restarting my workouts? Maybe my true inspiration had changed? So, trying to go about things the way I always had wasn't working because of this?
What?
Personal best is a number – how much or how fast have you done it before, it's a measure by which we mark improvement. Something to beat! You're always asking, "Did you do it better this time?"
Traditionally it's been an objective measure – that's where the phrase started. It stems from a belief system of "you did your best" or "do your best." A somehwat wholesome way of looking at things - "you don't need to beat someone else, just do your best." It's always affiliated with exact measurements of speed, weight moved, endurance, and the like.
But what if you don't believe in that system, what if you want it to be "feeling better than you ever have before, which also includes fitness or "personal best life." What if I started seeing it as a number, but then started seeing it as a feeling?
Why don't we think of "personal best" as a feeling – how about "personal best life?"
You could start into fitness with a "personal best life" attitude or maybe it evolves within you – you begin with "personal best" as 'a measure' and it changes to a "personal best life" or 'a feeling.'
I started doing circuit training with weights at 20-years of age and did it almost religiously until I was 51. Now at 52 my interests have shifted from looking a feeling physically great, to more feeling great about who I am and life. Maybe I should have been that way from the beginning, but that's a different blog.
Now I find myself working out just to feel good, but balance the workouts with my day-to-day activities on our acreage. For example,over the weekend, instead of doing an upper body or leg workout, with a very measured routine, I cleared dead-fall trees.
Now, by clearing the trees I will not develop or maintain sculpted chest muscles (pecs), but I will keep "in shape" and that's part of my personal best life. It was sort-of a few hours of cross-fit? I have a sense of accomplishment from clearing land, enjoying nature, and getting some exercise.
I recently realised – as in 15-minutes ago - that I learned a valuable lesson about this from Dyan Cannon. You see, while I worked in LA, Dyan became a dear friend and mentor – I met her through my work with Tim Storey at "The Study" which Dyan co-created.
I was 32 and had achieved everything I'd ever dreamed of in life, but I wasn't happy - I was working in the entertainment industry with artists I'd always admired. Dyan was a friend and we discussed this a lot. Dyan told me a quick story that frankly, if I didn't believe her, who would I believe (you'll see)?
Dyan said, "I thought if I just married the right guy, I would be happy. I did, I married the right guy, I married Cary Grant."
"Well, I still wasn't happy."
"So, well, if I just had the right acting part!"
"I did get the right part. I got an Academy Award nomination for Bob, Ted, Carol, and Alice and then again for Heaven Can Wait . . . . that didn't work."
"Well, the right directing role . . . . . I got another nomination. . .I still wasn't happy."
"Well the right house . . . . I got the biggest one in Bel Air . . . . the right car . . .I got a fleet."
"I learned I wasn't happy until I found God and some great friends," she finally realised.
Her early goals inspired her to greatness, fame, and moments of happiness. Her later realisation inspired her to enduring happiness, with a new goal. Both sets of goals or sources of inspiration are great, just different for different people, at different times of their lives.
At the time, the message inspired/allowed me to move from LA to back-home in Saskatchewan to start a different life.
Now, those same guiding words have helped me to see how my "personal best" switched from a number to a feeling - the words explained what happened. The message's meaning evolved just as I have.
So, maybe for you "personal best" is about your life or how you feel. Maybe it always was, or maybe as you aged it has changed.
That's OK.
So, as you work-out maybe your goal has changed? Maybe you don't feel so inspired to always lift more, maybe now it's about feeling better? That's great!That's what happened to me.
Maybe this explains why I was having such a difficult time restarting my workouts? Maybe my true inspiration had changed? So, trying to go about things the way I always had wasn't working because of this?
Maybe that's why I had to rethink things?
For me, it is now about "personal best life."