WAKA Fitness

Kigali, Rwanda

December 17, 2013

“Waiting for the Big One to Come”

For the past two weeks, I have been pushing myself to get in the “best shape for life”. What does this mean? We’ve all committed hours, days and weeks to prepare for that big reunion or a beach vacation – to quickly flatten our stomachs, bulk up our muscles and reduce our pant sizes. I am moving past those brief moments of victory to real success. I plan to be committed to WAKA Fitness for a long time, so a few weeks of crash dieting or intense training is not enough for me. I’ve got ambition. And so, I’m embarking on a life-long journey where I want to prove that: (1) a normal person, with no unique athletic disposition, formal training or genetic advantage, can work towards being a role model for others and (b) a healthy lifestyle is sustainable and manageable for anyone. 

 What I am finding is that I can push my physical strength to superhuman levels but that my mental strength is willfully human. Further, the success of a fitness journey lies in the ability to have great reserves of mental discipline. It is this strength that you rely on when transforming your daily lifestyle to match the commitment you show every day in the gym. 

How do I choose the right food at my favorite restaurant? How do I decide if I should go to one more bar before going home? Why do I commit to getting up at 6 am on a cloudy morning to go to the gym? In my brain, I have a bedrock/foundation I go to every time: “There are no ‘off days’ when you want to be the best, and this is one small, but important, decision towards my achievement of my goals”. 

 We often hear there is no magic pill or no miracle exercise that will give you the results that you want. I disagree. Having the strongest mental constitution possible is your secret weapon. I am amazed at how much I have relied on my mind and not my muscles to get the results I want. 

But I must warn you, the effects of this magic pill are painfully slow. Despite the feats of your mind, long-term transformation is not a two-week or even six-month exercise. Bring yourself to appreciate patience when achieving goals. This has been especially hard for me. Somehow, I’ve been taught my whole life how to set goals, but not how to wait for them. So I go back to my bedrock and realize, tomorrow, yes its another day with possibly good, bad or ugly results, but its more than that, it's just one more day towards the fulfillment of a great happy ending. 

Test yourself next time you feel weighted with temptation, discouragement or lack of motivation. Redirect your thoughts to your end goal and let those thoughts raise you above the meager and unfulfilling waves of such thoughts. You are simply waiting for the big one to come.

Truthfully yours,

Jeannetta Craigwell-Graham

Marketing Director

Waka Fitness