Marcus (one of my clients) and I got talking after his session yesterday about goals and doing whatever it takes to achieve them. I told him of a simple strategy I used when I was younger to stay on track and make good decisions. It is very simple. Whatever your goal is, you ask yourself one question and answer it with a yes or a no.
For example, if your goal is to play in the NRL and you are going out to dinner with friends you simply ask yourself "Is this food I am about to eat going to help me make the NRL?" Yes or no. No maybe's, but's, it's only once, I've trained hard, none of that shit. Just yes or no. So if they were going to eat pizza you ask yourself "will this help me make the NRL?" No. Then you don't eat it.
Another example. "Will sitting up on social media all night help me make the NRL?" No.
"Will going to bed and getting the proper rest and recovery my body needs to help me train hard tomorrow help me make the NRL?" Yes. Then you do that.
"Will going out all night on the beers help me make the NRL?" No. Don't go out.
"But I see heaps of NRL players on the drink" True but for one, they are there, you aren't. Two, how much better could they be if they didn't?
It's not about what others are doing. It is about what you need to do to get there and more importantly, it is about being better than you were yesterday. This is how you not only make it to the top but stay there long term. Anyone who is the top of their field continuously strive to be better. They dedicate their lives to it.
Most people struggle with decision making but this approach makes it very easy. I still use it today and in all areas of my life. The question for each part of my life is different but I use the same approach and answer yes or no.
When you start to answer yes or no you become more ruthless and more focused on your goal. You feel empowered and you genuinely feel in control of your future. You gain confidence and that snow balls into training even harder and making even better decisions. It becomes easier and easier. You stop worrying about others and what they think. You know so clearly where you want to go that nothing can distract you.
This one thing changed my whole life for the better.