Choose your beliefs wisely….
Theres an old Zen parable about a foolish peasant who was sent to visit his masters house. The master brought him into the study and offered him some soup, but just as the peasant was about to drink it, he noticed a small snake in his bowl. Not wanting to offend his master he drank it anyway, and within a few days fell so ill that he was brought back to the house. The master took him into his study and prepared some medicine in a small bowl and gave it to the peasant. Just as the peasant was about to drink the medicine he noticed another snake in his bowl. This time he pointed it out and complained loudly that this was the reason he was sick in the first place. Roaring with laughter the master pointed to the ceiling where a large bow was hanging. "It is the reflection of the bow you are seeing"he said. There is no snake at all. The peasant looked again and sure enough there was no snake in his bowl, only a reflection. He left the house without taking the medication and regained his health within the day.
When we accept limitations about oursleves and our world we have swallowed imaginery snakes - an they are always real until we find out otherwise. We each have a set of beliefs and asumptions in our lives, some of which we formed early in our childhood. We of course all naturally assume that they are true - if we think its hard to make money - then it is hard to make money, if we think it is hard to build muscle, then it is hard to build muscle - if we think we are worthless - its because we are worthless, if we think there are no opportunities - then there are no opportunities.We will doubt and scrutinize every aspect of our life but our beliefs are last to be challenged. Once your subconcious mind has accepted a belief or idea, whether it is true or not, it will continually feed you thoughts to support that. Think you are worthless? Your mind will find irrefutable evidence to support those beliefs and will work overtime to manifest those beliefs.
On the other hand, if you believe that you are a winner, or that there is money to be made everywhere - if you believe in your own vibrant health - you’ll find yourself surrounded by equally strong evidence supporting those beliefs. The mind is a creature of habit, if you have allowed limiting beliefs to root there, you can crowd them out by constucting new and more supportive beliefs and by PRACTICING them until the old ideas have been replaced by the new.
Limiting beliefs
I cant do it - I cant get ahead - there are no opportunities right now - I’ve tried hundreds of times - Its so hard to get ahead - you have to work for everything you achieve - I dont know what to do.
SNAP OUT OF IT!!!!
New Beliefs
I can do all things through Christ - I can do all things I set my mind to - there are opportunties everywhere for me - I always get ahead - I always know what to do - I am a great human being living my gift of an extraordinary life - I am destined for nothing but success.
All truly wise thoughts have been thought already thousands of times, but to make them truly ours we must think them over again honestly, till they take root in our personal experience. - Goethe
Had a fabulous workout today - did my shoulders, didnt feel as strong as last week but I think it comes down to not eating better post workout, my appetite has been suffering a bit, just cant seem to get my normal portions down so I’m committed to eating up a storm this weekend.
Pullups………………………8,7.4
shoulder press dumbells……………………………..1
1kgs each x 4 sets x 5 reps,1 sets x 3 reps
side lateral raises………………………….8kgs each x 5 sets x 5 reps
front raises…….8kgs each x 5 sets x 5 reps
arnold press…………………………………
……..10kgs each x 5 sets x 5 reps
upright rows……………………….25kg barbell x5 sets x 5 reps
cable squats (pull the cable as far as it can go feeling the tension, if u let go u would fly scenario) and then squatted into a plie, open legs as wide as they will go and go down as in front squat.
3 sets x 40 reps - 45kgs
cable squats close stance knees together……………………….3 sets x 40 reps x 45kgs
jump lunges with 8 kgs each dumbell………………………3 sets x 20 reps
lateral step ups with 7 kg medicine ball…………………….3 sets x 20 reps
I added some legs in today as I didnt do justice to my leg workout earlier in the week. B- if you’re reading this today, I signed my deal , not exactly what I wanted but very close. Really miss you and hope you’re smiling.
So heres to a fab weekend, may you choose beliefs that bring you all that you want out of this beautiful gift called life - may you celebrate your every breathe just because there is no other You.
May 16, 2008 at 8:36 am
True for fitness….true for life. Theres a lot of psychological "science" behind what you wrote as well. I do this with many of my clients….need to do a better job of doing it with myself. Im gonna pull this one out and put it somewhere to remind me. Another great one my friend
May 16, 2008 at 9:53 am
Outstanding blog. IO was guided to it for some reason today! Eveyrone should read this…in fact, for several months. Wouldn’t the world be a different place if we all lived from that paradigm. Thanks for the lbog!
May 16, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Well written, concise and accurate, I give it two thumbs way up!
May 16, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Nice this always goes with my ideas of the mental side of training. Keep up the great progress and thanks for the prayers for my Mom.
Big James
May 17, 2008 at 10:04 am
wow, what a great post-that is bodybuilding in a nutshell, it is all in your head-thanks this is deep!!