The Challenge of Consistency in the Face of Failure

I am about to complete the first phase of P90X. Again.  I never quite got through all three phases in the past.  Travel and life always seem to get in the way of completion of the whole program.  I first started the P90X challenge back in 2009 - and while the body was willing, the spirit was weak.  After losing about 15 pounds and getting into decent shape, I've let go for a few years - and, as predicted, it all went to hell in a hand basket.

This time certainly feels different.  In the past, a failed day or week led to an abandonment of the program, and then back to the three "P"'s of my stress induced diet - pizza, pasta and potatoes -   washed down by occasional drinking of distilled, brewed and fermented spirits - usually a bit to excess when those occasions arise. This time, I have vowed to just pick myself up off the ground and hop back on the wagon.  No need to self-pity, to wait until Monday, or my birthday, or until St. John's feast day.  Nope, just pick myself off, admit that I fell off the wagon, and climb right back on.

This approach seems to be working so far.  I just spent the last 12 days on the road, and while my exercise and diet routine certainly suffered, and my P90X results were suboptimal, there are results.  In fact, I will share those each Monday on the blog.  I am definitely in better shape - mentally and physically - than I was 35 days ago. I have a few co-workers who have inspired me to get back into shape - "Ripped and Ready".  The stress of running one company, owning another, travel, family and other things that make life life means that the stress - flight or fight - is always there.  Exercise and diet will make me "Ready" to fight the good fight.  Hopefully, the result is that I will become "Ripped" in the process.  Not required, but desired...

I also recognize that personally, professionally, spiritually, physically and emotionally, the same theory needs to apply.  Always strive to improve.  Don't get overly discouraged by the setbacks.  They're going to happen.  Don't get overly discouraged by the moments of weakness.  That's a sign of humanity.  Learn from the situation, get up, brush yourself off, and get going again.  Others may struggle with, be impacted by, or ridicule that fall off the wagon.  That's the hard part - but it is also the motivation to never give up.

On P90X, there are two Tony Horton mantras that I hear every day:

      "Do your best and forget the rest."

and

      "Keep pushing play." (on the DVD player)

They are daily reinforcement of the need to just keep getting better, to continuously improve, to push to do your best, and most of all, to actually *DO* it.