Treat each day like a new day

Comparison is the thief of joy.

Lifting gets easier when you stop comparing today to the past or to what others are doing. Just show up and do the work.

Bigger margins

I’m a big believer in keeping logs. They help you stay in the ballpark of where you’ve been, but the key is to treat each session as its own thing. Use past numbers as a guide, not a rule.

This can be tough, especially when you’re eager to hit certain numbers. What helps me is assuming there’s a normal 10% fluctuation. Some days I’ll be a bit stronger, some a bit weaker, and sometimes the same. That mindset helps take the pressure off.

Sure, there are exceptions like being sick, stressed, or overloaded. If you are getting a chain of large downward trends, then it’s likely a program or recovery issue that needs to be addressed.

I won’t use that guideline for exercises that I haven’t done in a long time. I’ll have no expectations, and too many things could have changed.

Bigger picture

There’s a point where progress becomes extremely slow to come by. The other mindset tip is to loosen the grip of expectations of performance and outcomes. Ask yourself a simple question: “Did I contribute to my health and fitness?”. It’s a straight yes or no answer.  This tiny thing can make the process much more enjoyable.

We can’t control the exact outcome. We will have bad days. We can control turning up and putting in the effort we have for the day.

Happy lifting.