I spend a fair amount of time puzzling about “Yo-Yo Cyclists.” All jokes about “Winter Training Weight,” and the “Old Guys Who get Fat in the Winter Racing Team” aside, I wonder about it. I’m referring to folks who fight to get in shape, accomplish the feat, maintain a level of fitness, and then “fall off the wagon.”
I think I may know part of the answer. For some, the goal is about getting fit and slim. But that kind of thinking is automatically doomed. The thing is, fitness is not an event. It’s a lifetime commitment.
Our society is largely event driven. We see the Olympics, World Series, Super Bowl, Tour de France, and such. We are enthralled and amazed by folks who achieve great things there. Our media, and our water-cooler conversations, are all about the event. But we don’t see the process that led to that event.
I often talk about Goals as motivators. This is good, as far as it goes. I know it works for me. I’ve seen it work for others. But the problem is, it doesn’t seem to work for everyone.
Here’s what I think is at the crux of the matter. A goal should be a motivator, but the process necessary to achieve that goal should be rewarding in and of itself. If the goal is deemed to be a “Big Reward,” but the process necessary to reach it is considered unpleasant drudgery, then it is very unlikely that the success producing process will be continued beyond the point where the goal is reached.
In short, if one is training for a specific event, the event should motivate the training. But, one had better be deeply into liking the training. Anything else will result in backsliding.
I’d like to hear other thoughts on this. What’s your experience?
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