Is everyone familiar with the term beginners mind? I wasn't until a few years ago. I knew the problem people were presenting with at my Five dock Personal training business but didn't know how to describe it.
Beginners mind is to enter into something without any preconceptions at all. You have no pre - conceived idea, no assumptions, you're just living in the moment.
Let me explain. If I was eager to learn Spanish, my conversation with the Spanish tutor would go like this.
Me: Hi there I would like to learn Spanish as quick as possible.
Tutor: Excellent, on a scale of 1-10 how important to you is it too achieve this goal?
Me : 9
Tutor : Well you need to come to class 3 x a week.
Do 3 hours of homework and try to talk to a Spanish person for an hour a week.
Me: Excellent I will see you on Monday and start then.
Now here is someone without beginners mind at an exercise session.
Client: Hi I would love to be fit and healthy. I need to lose a few kilos and want to be active so I have more energy.
Me: Well done for realising your health is extremely important as we age. How important is this goal for you?
Client 9.
Me: Great. I recommend you do Cardio on Mondays, Weights on Wednesday and then Boxing on Saturday at my Five Dock Fitness sessions. Plus do a food diary and we'll see what you're fueling your body with.
Client: Ok that sounds good but a friend of mine done a boxing class last year and hated it.
Plus the last time I ran I was awful and felt like I couldn't do it.
And is this food thing really strict? Cause we have Pizza night on Tuesdays and I always go out on Fridays and can't get out of bed on a Saturday.
Can I start on once a week and when I get fitter then go to 3 x a week?
Me: But if you don't exercise regularly and keep training frequently you'll never GET FITTER.
Client: Ok well this month I have a lot of Birthdays on so I won't be able to start till next month is that Ok?
Me: Ok I'll be in touch.
Now this client had so many Pre - Conceived ideas that they couldn't see clearly and live in the moment.
I wonder how many opportunities we've all missed by taking someone's word for something that we should have experienced ourselves?
What on earth difference does it make to them if their friend didn't like a boxing class?
Can you not try to change at least one bad habit (pizza night) for a while?
So I still meet this quite frequently and I know I always will. Sometimes you can make small breakthrough's and sometimes it's impossible.
I've just got to keep on plugging away!!! (The things I do for your health)
Enjoy your week,
David
www.punchrunlift.com.au