Autopilot This Morning, Almost Failing from the Jump

Last Updated on June 10, 2024 by Michael Brockbank

This morning, I woke up and nearly talked myself out of going to the gym on the first day of my latest fitness challenge. However, I was able to set my mind to autopilot and worked up a good sweat.

Between shocking myself on the scale and not really feeling good this morning, thanks to overeating homemade nachos the night before, I almost didn’t go to the gym.

Instead, I was thinking I could just play some Oculus and burn some calories. However, I decided to let the autopilot take control and didn’t really put much thought into talking myself out of going.

Of course, I don’t really have an autopilot. It’s kind of like a state of mind where I let physical habits take control while focusing on something other than not wanting to go to the gym. Next thing I know, I am ramping the incline on the treadmill to 5% and increasing the speed to 3.5 miles per hour.

Following Through with the Plan

How you approach losing weight and fitness will determine whether you’re successful or not. If you already have a negative opinion of anything, it’s going to taint the end results. This is true whether you’re trying a new diet or listening to music. Your mood and perception influence everything you do in life, and it’s this perception that usually creates the greatest follies.

So, when I woke up this morning already feeling a bit out of sorts, I was already on the path to not following through with going to the gym. The difference between myself and many others, though, is that I can identify when my mind isn’t in the right space and can usually make course corrections.

That’s when I started practicing the “autopilot” mode that I talk about often.

Instead of dwelling on why I don’t want to do something, I let my body take the actions to get moving while I think of something else. This morning, I was thinking about writing my book while my body was getting ready to go to the gym.

Now that I’ve been home for a couple of hours, I am glad that I followed through. I’d hate for my Summer of Effort to get ruined on day one by a lack of effort. That would just be a silly way to fail.

Taking the Challenge Seriously This Time

I think one of the biggest reasons why I failed so many fitness challenges in the past is because I didn’t take myself seriously enough. It’s easy to get sidetracked or say to yourself, “To hell with it.” In reality, you don’t have any other accountability other than yourself. And if you don’t give a shit, you’re going to fail.

This time, I am determined to prove to myself that I can follow through with a solid 12 weeks of fitness. I mean, I joke around about having abs at 48 or looking like a Greek god at the end. But in truth, it’s more about demonstrating to me that I can do this.

I don’t get any money for completing this challenge. There’s no pot of gold at the end of this sweaty rainbow. There’s no reward awaiting a successful completion. So, why should I care whether I can make it or not?

Because A) I don’t wanna die, and B) I want to prove to myself I can do it.

I’ve had a few issues with my heart in the past. That’s what happens when you live most of your life in a sedentary state, I suppose. I’ve been doing so much better over the last decade, so there is something to be said about increasing some kind of cardio activity.

Anyway, I’ve made the conscious decision to go all-in this time. And when I’ve decided to make something happen and take the process seriously, nothing stops me. Not even myself.

Perseverance is Key to Success

Something I’ve been saying for quite some time is, “Success isn’t always about getting the good stuff. It also depends on how you persevere when shit goes south.” It works in just about every setting.

How you handle negative situations will influence whether you remain successful or not. Once you start dwelling on the bad stuff, that’s all you’re going to experience. The trick is to move past those moments by learning and growing. Think of them as a learning experience and nothing more.

This morning was light in comparison to my other failures. But I was still able to persevere by not talking myself out of not going to the gym. Instead, I stayed the course and felt better because of it.

You’re not going to have a consistent stellar experience with everything in life. There will be times when you’re tested to varying degrees. What matters is that you handle those moments with poise, grace, and a positive mindset.

This is especially true for those things of which you have no control.

Sometimes, Ya Gotta Push Yourself

I guess the gist of everything this morning is that sometimes, you have to push yourself. It’s not always the easiest thing to do, especially if you wake up with a bad case of the “I don’t wannas.” But you’ll find success more difficult to achieve if you don’t.

That’s the entire premise of a challenge, really. It’s not meant to be easy – it’s meant to push yourself to achieve victory.

Now, there technically isn’t anything wrong with being content with life being on easy mode. Each to their own, I suppose. Personally, though, I’d rather see just what I am capable of handling if I actually put in the effort. As such, I’ll always continue to see just where my limitations lie.

Kicking Off the Week With Gusto!

I’m feeling pretty good about the challenge this time around. I am quite impressed that I didn’t talk myself out of not going to the gym. I’m pretty sure that I would have played the Oculus or the Kinect, but I always feel more accomplished after lifting tons of weight and power walking on the treadmill.

In any case, let’s see if I can keep up the positive mindset for the next 83 days. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not really a long time. But I am certain I can make vast changes to my health and fitness in a three-month span.

I suppose that’s what this challenge is all about. If I complete it, I’ll have a ton of data for future articles and fitness strategies. And I am a dork for collecting data in a spreadsheet.

About Author

Michael Brockbank

Since 2015, Michael has put in the effort to lose more than 80 pounds by gamifying fitness and eating proper portion sizes. He conducts extensive research into various health and fitness products to provide the best answers possible according to his own experience and knowledge.

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