Happy Monday,
Do you keep track of your workout progress? If not, you should. Here are a few key reasons why:
- Tracking helps you pay more attention to that area of your life (this is called the Scoreboard Principle in psychology)
- It helps you make our goals a priority — and allocate time and resources toward them
- Seeing proof of your progress also helps keep you motivated on the long road to mastery
I’ve kept a training journal since I started my fitness journey over ten years ago. Doing so has helped me see that I have made progress even when it feels like I’m going nowhere.
And celebrating that progress — no matter how small — is also key. If you focus only on your long-term goal, you might get overwhelmed by the long road ahead and give up before you get very far.
Small wins act as a checklist of progress points on the way to our larger goals. They remind our brains that no matter how futile our efforts may seem at times, we are making progress.
Keep track of those wins. And keep going.
What I’m reading —
Grit: Bringing Passion Back by Scott Barry Kaufman / Scientific American
Psychologists define grit as passion and perseverance for long-term goals — but the passion part often gets left out of the equation. Put simply: you can’t have grit without passion!
“One can be very consistent in completing tasks but not actually care all that much about the goals they are accomplishing. Authentic creativity requires a spark in addition to doggedness.”
What I’m listening to —
David Eagleman: A neuroscientist discusses time, perception and consciousness / Into the Magic Shop
Why do some moments seem to drag on forever while others speed by so quickly we wonder where the time has gone? Two neuroscientists discuss time perception and the nature of consciousness. Fascinating stuff.
A quote that inspires me —
“The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty yes to your adventure.” — Joseph Campbell
What I’m training —
Here’s a fun medicine ball workout to try. It only takes 12 minutes!
Three new workouts —
Plyo Power 12-Minute HIIT Workout (12 minute, plyo box or equivalent)
300 Rep Strength + Stamina Challenge Workout (Time challenge, kettlebell, sandbag or equivalent)
Speedster Jump Rope AMRAP Workout (AMRAP, jump rope)
You can get these and all future workouts right in the 12 Minute Athlete app when you subscribe as a Super Athlete.
Questions? Feedback? Content requests?
Please feel free to reply directly to this email if you have any questions or comments (yes, I am a real human). I get a lot of emails and messages, so I can’t reply to all of them, but I do read everything you guys send me!
Dream bigger!
– Krista