I am going to be starting a personal training program in the next week or so, and yesterday I had my first call with my trainer. Being honest, I was nervous. I had never worked with a personal trainer before, but the conversation was great and also a little unexpected. Instead of just talking about exercises and nutrition, we talked about my goals, the habits I want to build, the mental aspect of getting healthier, my history with weight, and what I hope to achieve in the future.
As exciting as the call was, and as motivated as I am to work with this trainer, I’m still the one who has to put in the work. That’s something I’ve struggled with my whole life when it comes to my health.
The trainer can write my workouts, answer my questions, help keep me accountable, and encourage me when I’m frustrated. But he can’t lift the weights for me. He can’t choose what I eat every day. He can’t walk the steps I need to walk. He can’t say no to the junk food or turn off the TV so I can go work out. He can be a guide, but I still have to choose to follow.
I’ve done it before. In what feels like a past life, I lost 170 pounds. I was determined. I was resilient. Then I wasn’t. Some of the weight came back, and with it came frustration and disappointment.
Since then, I’ve read books about motivation and discipline. I’ve listened to podcasts. I’ve watched countless videos. I know what it takes to get back to where I want to be.
Information has never been the problem.
Turning that information into action has.
Often we think success comes from the tools we use along the way. The right pen or computer will help us write more. The right planner will keep us organized. The right app will keep us on task. Maybe the right coach will finally help us reach our goals.
Those things absolutely help.
They make the path clearer.
But they can’t walk it for us.
This project has never been about finally discovering the secret that erased years of failure. There isn’t one.
The progress I’ve made has come from doing the work day after day. From refusing to quit when things got hard. From not accepting defeat when I fell behind. From allowing the process to evolve instead of abandoning it because I was too stubborn to change.
The tools I’ve chosen have helped me get this far, but they aren’t the reason I’m here.
This trainer will be no different.
He gets to be on my team. He gets to challenge me, encourage me, and help me decide what I need to do to reach my goals.
But I still have to do the work.
The tools you use can help you write. They can help you stay organized. They can help you stay on task.
But if you don’t do the work, the tools can’t do it for you.
A coach, a trainer, or an accountability partner can all cheer you on. They can believe in you, even on the days you don’t believe in yourself.
But when it’s time to do the work…
You’re the one who has to do it.
And when you do, you’ll have something no one can ever take away from you:
The satisfaction of knowing you earned it.
Continue the Journey:
If you enjoyed this article, you may also like:
- I Finally Stopped Waiting to Feel Motivated
Motivation may get you started, but lasting change comes from taking action even when you don’t feel like it. - Stay in the Game
Progress belongs to those who refuse to quit. Once you’ve committed to the journey, the work still has to be done one day at a time. - Every Opportunity Begins With Risk
Hiring a coach, starting a new program, or chasing a goal all begin with uncertainty. The next step is doing the work that turns opportunity into progress.
The Young Napoleon Project 