3 Seconds to Change Your Life

First, before I get started, I do want to say that over the past few months I have seen you all as students improve in this area (along with many other areas as well, but I’m focusing on this one today).

Are you ready for this? 3 seconds to change your life…what could I possibly be talking about?

Well here it is – the last three seconds of that round when you are here in the gym. I know many of you have heard Coach Dean talking about the most important set/seconds/rep being the last one. Here is why – it goes well beyond just getting one more rep in for the purpose of building strength, it also helps our determination in other parts of life.

Yes, of course, just from the overload principle if you get one more rep than you did last time your body will anatomically improve. That is important, but for this I am speaking specifically to a mindset.

Those last three seconds of that set where the voice starts counting down are the most important because of the will it takes to push through the finish line. Rather than stopping because you know the rest is coming, do you have it in you to see things through to the end? People think training is just about sets and reps, but the truth is that many of the principles we see in here translate outside the gym as well.

Here’s a great example, how many of you have done our S3, 21-day Jumpstart, or any other nutrition based challenge we have held? Now, how many of you have gotten down to that last day or two before the end, and even though you have been incredibly disciplined, and lost a ton of fat, go “Ehh, its over tomorrow and I’ve been perfect thus far, what’s one drink tonight really going to matter?”. In the long run, maybe you are right. What difference is one drink really going to make? But then how do you feel after? You stayed disciplined all that time but couldn’t make it the last 12 hours. Why? You made it through 37 days and on the 38th you just say “Ehh, I’m basically done”?

There aren’t many things in this world that you can say are fact, most are just theories and ideas that haven’t been proven wrong yet. Here is one thing I believe to be fact: it is in those moments when you hear the “3….2…1….” that your true character is tested. How can you truly know yourself if you don’t give it everything you have, if you have more in the tank but decide to quit early?

Those last three seconds are when your will power is the lowest, when your determination is the lowest, but where the meaning is the highest. If you can push yourself to make it through those last three seconds without quitting early, then you broke through your own wall and often its easier and easier to push all the way after that.

Those three seconds where you see the light at the end of the tunnel but stay disciplined and don’t try to get there early are the most important in your life. You may think I’m being over dramatic, but here’s a question – are you normally someone who quits when they hear that last three seconds counting down? If yes, do you also find yourself bingeing just before the end of S3? Do you find yourself stopping for unhealthy food when you are 15 minutes away from healthy food at home, because you are hungry and don’t want to wait another 15 minutes? If I were a betting man, I would say that is probably the case.

So make those last three seconds count! Prove to yourself that you have the determination to finish what you started. It will translate in here as well as out there. Don’t stop, push through, and make it happen!

-Coach Adam