Many times in life have we heard that we ought to "learn from our mistakes". A well-intended credo calling for action to make positive changes in our life.
While learning from our mistakes is possible when we thoroughly anaylse the situation and plan concrete steps towards correcting it - when we REALLY learn is when do something RIGHT.
Simply put: success is the best teacher we have.
When we do something RIGHT, we learn that the methods we have applied along the process have proven fruitful. It is a confirmation of having chosen the right approach for solving a given problem. This information is stored in our brain and becomes a habit when it is repeated often enough.
The transition I would like to make here is that people who are not strong (yet) have not (yet) experienced what it actually means to BE strong - while people who have gotten stronger have been reaping the profound, powerful effects of a long-lasting transformation.
When we set up our training in a way that allows us to make step-wise, consistent progress (the way we do it here at Strong For Life), we are experiencing daily events of SUCCESS. Our first increase in weight from a 25kg to 30kg squat is a first taste of "I can do this!"
After a month into our training, our weights will have doubled - going up 2.5kg every workout. Considering we perform an exercise around ten times per month, this equals ten episodes of success within a few short weeks - just in one exercise!
Over time, we keep progressing, and after a period of 6-8 months, our progress becomes increasingly harder to achieve. We have taken our initial bench press from 50kg for 3 sets of 5 reps to 90kg for the same amount of reps and sets. Our rate of progress slows down - BUT IT CONTINUES.
We are starting to hit a level where we are now trippling the numbers on our lifts.
WE FEEL LIKE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSON.
The strength we have develop in our body and mind is immense. Our hips start to increase in size through adding more muscle mass. Our legs have grown and are getting more visible. The appearance in our T-shirt gets more pronounced. Our shoulders have become wider, our arms have gotten bigger, and our back has gotten broader. We see our confidence sky-rocketing, and with that the way we walk through life changes.
We feel CAPABLE.
Capable of handling the next heavier weight, of thrusting ourselves out of the bottom squat position in the last rep, of improving our nutrition to recover faster, of handling challenging life situations with greater greater ease, of going up in weight even further despite it getting harder and harder.
We feel TRANSFORMED. Like a new person who would have never been able to tell what it feels like to be strong if they hadn't gone through this process.
Strong enough?
Never.