The Power of Obsessive, Intense Focus

Stop!  Focus!  Go!

During  my training sessions at local gyms, I sometimes stumble across interesting people. Recently, I ran into a 70 year old gentleman who reminded me how important it is to focus on your goals.  Nick is a stout man about my height.  He competed in his first power-lifting competition just last year and he set a goal of breaking specific records.  
He was working his "big three" lifts like a man on a mission.  His intense drive and will to complete the work of training was unmistakable.  The man was focused.


The first thing you'd notice about Nick is that he doesn't look like he's 70.  The second thing you'd notice about Nick is that he doesn't sound like he's 70.  We exchanged pleasantries, stories, and training tips like most people who share a common interest.  I believe he will be the record holder in his class soon and it is due to his single-minded focus on that goal.  

It is important to note that his goal is not to get bigger biceps, get a six pack, or shape is traps and chest.
It is to break a record in his class in a specific powerlifting federation.  Nick understands what many people do not.  We are all so used to living in the "GROWTH MODEL" world that most of us can't comprehend "FINITE RESOURCES".  We each only have so much time and energy to spend on whatever we deem worthy of our attention.  For some that means making money, creating art, or even ruling the world.  Some of us will succeed in our endeavors and others will fail.  There is a difference between those who obsessively focus on a single goal and everyone else.  This is regardless of success or failure. Those who focus and relentlessly pursue a specific goal never truly fail and, like archers raising their aim above a target in order to hit it, come much closer to their mark than those who foolishly try to hit multiple moving targets with a single arrow.  

So to the hordes who constantly ask how to increase strength while increasing chest size, bicep size, losing fat, getting a six pack, increasing bench, getting bigger calves, and reducing the duration of workouts to 45 minutes; ask Nick how to accomplish something in this life or better yet, just watch him train for a few minutes.  You might learn what single-minded focus can do for you regardless of age.

Stay strong!