Mastering a Skill

 I can remember 2 years ago when I first purchased P90X.  I was excited but nervous at the same time.  For all of my life I had done sports and was in a position to be pushed daily by a coach.  My inner core was not built for doing a workout on my own.  So once my time with playing was done I fell into a bit of a nasty routine called over consumption.  I took in way too many calories then I was expending and it caught up to me fast.

So on day one of P90X I found myself really questioning whether or not I could get it done.  I really liked the push-ups but found myself struggling with pull-ups.  Through the rest of the week I found myself loving Kenpo X, but finding it hard to finish Yoga X.  I really was not set out for it, or so at the time I believed.

What helped me get through day in and day out was the simple fact that it was set up for achievement if all I did was press play.  By the end of the first week I found myself feeling firmer and that feeling had me wanting more.

They say that it takes 21 days to loose a bad habit.  With that being said it also takes 21 to acquire a good habit as well.  By the time month two of the program came around I realized that I was waking up in the morning with working out high on my priority list.  No more sitting on the couch during an episode of my favorite rerun, instead it was time to pop P90X in and press play.  My priorities shifted and due to that my inner core was now different. 

I look back at the person I was two years ago and I can’t help to think about what would have happened had I not persevered and got through that first month.  I now love pull-ups and even though the Yoga X is still not my favorite I have a strong respect and understanding for the importance of the workout. 

What does it take to master a skill?  Consistency is the answer.  No matter what it is you will find yourself starting out a little shaky.  But over time you get better and better.  Working out is the same way. Day in and out you will find yourself being able to do more and more, the key is to stick with it! And just because you struggle with something today, with just enough practice you will find yourself knocking out whatever it is you thought was hard before. 

So the next time you say you can’t do something, just rephrase and say you are currently not a master at it, and know that if you are patient and stick with it, you will own the situation. 

Own yourself! Run your life!