Mindset for Midlife

mindset  mind·set or mind-set  (mīnd'sět')
n.

1.  A fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines a person's responses to and interpretations of situations.
   
   
   Dictionary.com (2010)
   
   
   In many sports there is a moment right before you must engage that some athletes fill with a mantra (a little blurb spoken aloud to to help get your mindset).  I remember standing in front of a bar loaded with 589lbs at the 2004 WPO qualifiers.  I had just gotten over the flu and I weighed in at 146lbs.  I told myself before I stepped on the platform that nothing would stop me from lifting that bar to a full lockout.  My mindset was locked and I had a mental picture of a finished lift.  At that moment, nothing else mattered.  I was quietly mumbling to myself, "power is in the mind, a powerful mind rests in a powerful body, and a powerful body can do anything".  A deep breath and I went on autopilot.  
   I locked out the lift, but my left hand broke loose just enough for that side of the bar to drop about an inch.  I got one white light and two reds (No lift - you need at least two out of three white to have the lift count). Despite of ruling I had never gotten 4X body weight above my knees and I left feeling victorious.  When I approached my  family and friends none of us could stop grinning.  Everyone understood what had transpired.  Few things can compare to the powerful, positive feelings that come with the right mindset.
   
   
   
   I bring this up today because over the years I've noticed a salient difference between people who are successful in their pursuits and those who are not.  Usually, the way that person responds to and / or interprets situations they encounter in their endeavors plays a major role in his/her success.  It seemed that this principle applied to any subject; any field.  From successful entrepreneurs to millionaire professional athletes to blockbuster movie stars, they all tend to echo similar sentiment.  
   Unconvinced?  Observe the most successful people you know in their element.  Watch how they deal with obstacles, unexpected changes, and victories.  The person could be your mentor, someone you admire, or a friend who happens to be the best video gamer you know.  Just watch and take note of the traits that emerge before you. 
   
   
   There is a "right" mindset to have when taking on new fitness goals in midlife.  Most enter the pursuit with an aggressive attitude of "I'm going to do this if it kills me".  Usually, they go overboard and get injured in six to eight weeks.  They usually don't come back and they sometimes carry around a mental scar from the failure (whether they know it or not).  On the flip side is the person who enters too lightly and literally spends years in an overcautious dance of sorts that does her/him little good.  Most of the time people starting out in fitness take in the mindset of the former "overboard type". 
   Obviously, the "right" mindset is somewhere in between.
   
   
   Those I've witnessed successfully achieve one fitness goal after another have the following traits:
   
   
   1. Optimistic yet realistic view of their limitations
   
   
   Few things will derail someone as quickly as not knowing themselves.  If you don't know your strengths and limitations you need to find out.  I've watched someone walk into a gym after not having touched a weight since high school and try to bench 450 lbs.  He tore his rotator cuff and never came back.  He had an extremely unrealistic idea of what he was could safely do and it cost him.  Equally dangerous is the someone that enters into an extreme diet and exercise plan without a clean bill of health from their doctor.  Push yourself without knowing what condition you are in and you could be taking an ambulance ride.  You must know yourself.  Take the time to ponder this. 
   
   
   2. Little or no fear of failure
   
   
   We all fail from time to time.  It is the few who pick themselves up and quickly learn from their mistakes that tend to dominate in all fields.  This requires an indomitable spirit, but such a trait CAN be learned.  You should look at mistakes as an opportunity to learn.  The only exception would be making the same mistake again and again.
   3. Insatiable thirst for knowledge
   
   
   In a world where many of us are too lazy to even think for ourselves, this trait is priceless. This thirst shows itself as an incredible appetite for anything related to the chosen pursuit.  People with this trait will read, watch documentaries, listen to podcasts, search databases, and thoroughly enjoy learning about anything that has to do with their goal.  Sometimes it can be a bit too much, but the knowledge absorbed is usually beneficial.
   
   
   4. Pit-bull-like attitude in regards to achieving their objectives
   
   
   This is the trait that burns in the belly of champions.  The overwhelming desire to get what you want even at great sacrifice / risk.  It must be tempered with knowledge and patience, but it is the catalyst in the machine of success.  Study the traits of our most successful in any field and you will find this kind of tenacity.  It is what forces us to get back up after a humiliating defeat to go another round.  If this doesn't sound like you, don't worry.  It can also be learned.
    
   5. Willful ... disciplined ... patience
   
   
   "How poor are they that have not patience!"

   Shakespeare 

   Above all you must have the patience to become successful.  I can't tell you how many potential clients I lost during my "trainer days" because I told them "It takes five to seven years to build a good physique".  No one wants to hear that.  This is especially true in fitness where every commercial that inundates you at dinner is telling you that " ... you can have the perfect body in just five minutes a day without lifting a weight."  Eventually, you start to believe it.  Beyond all of this, our culture promotes an instant gratification mentality.  Very few of us practice patience regularly with our own personal wants or needs.  But patience is the magic that lets desire manifest and it must be mastered to successfully reach you goals.  
   
   
   While there may be other traits that may be equally helpful on your journey, these should be in your starter kit for fitness in midlife.  Keep them sharp, add other tools along the way, and you will achieve your fitness goals.