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The Truth About Health Journeys 

When you think about health, several different associations probably pop into your 

head. Maybe you think of green smoothies, vigorous spin classes, or perfectly 

coordinated athletic wear. Perhaps you envision a heavy barbell, boxing gloves, or 

macronutrients. The concept of a “health journey” is vast and unique to each individual, making it almost impossible to truly define. In fact, I’d argue that ambiguity is largely 

responsible for the low success rate of these journeys. While important to make it your 

own, failure to acknowledge what goes on behind the curtain, and furthermore, within 

the mind during the process, can leave a person paralyzed by what they find when that 

initial jolt of motivation inevitably slows down. 

This is because a health journey is so much more than what you eat, how you 

train, and what you want to achieve. At the core, a health journey is a deeply-rooted 

belief system that lives in your consciousness. Whether you’re venturing on the road to 

build strength, change your physique, or simply keep up with your dog, the voices of 

your hopes, dreams, fears, and negative thoughts will pay you a visit. The challenge 

lies in knowing how to push forward when the devil on your shoulder tries to block your 

way. 

Road Blocks 

The start of a health journey sends a rush of joy. I’m finally doing it, I’m gonna 

rock this!  You set alarms for your training sessions, stock up on fueling foods and 

daydream about reaching that big, beautiful goal. The first few days, maybe even 

weeks, feel incredible. You’re kicking ass, taking names, and nothing is going to stop 

you. Only, now the fun is beginning to wear off. Nobody is handing you a prize at the 

end of your workouts, the scale has not dramatically shifted, and you don’t see any 

physical gains yet. You find that you are getting to the gym later and later if at all, telling 

yourself things like, “Just do it later,” “I can take today off, it’s not a big deal,” and 

“Wouldn’t you rather be binging the latest Netflix series than going to the gym?” 

So how do you push past this roadblock? How do you keep the momentum 

when these thoughts arise? The answer is simple. You have got to start training before your 

brain knows what you’re doing. Do it before you have the chance to talk yourself out of 

it because you will talk yourself out of it. Think of it like this. When you go to the pool, 

you have two choices: you can either dip your toes or dive in. If you dip, you’ll never 

get in because the water feels cold in comparison to the rest of your body. If you jump, 

it may be a little chilly at first, but you also know you’ll acclimate much faster than if 

you tried to ease yourself in, limb after limb. The same applies here. Rush in before the 

devil on your shoulder has had it’s morning coffee, before it’s juiced up and ready to fill 

your brain with whispers. 

Inner Critics 

Understanding the internal challenges that may arise during your journey is a 

vital part of long-term success. As a professional in this industry for years, I have 

identified two inner critic monologues that most individuals find themselves up against 

at some point in their process. 

We will call the first one, “the hater.” This inner critic is loud and ready to shake 

you up, especially during your training sessions. It will say things like, “Why am I doing 

this? I’m not worth it. I should have come later, I’m way too busy. Just stop now.”  To 

combat the hater, try personifying it. Give it a name and attach a face to it if you can. 

Picture it wanting you to fail, practically begging you to throw in the towel, and then tell 

it to sit down and watch you succeed. There is empowerment in detaching these 

thoughts from yourself and putting them in their place. 

The second inner critic is “the protector.” Unlike the hater, this one is not 

necessarily trying to be mean. Instead, it is trying to save you from disappointment. It 

will say, “Come on, you’ve tried a million times, and it’s never worked. Quit now while 

you’re ahead. Don’t put all of this work in, it’s not going to happen anyway.”  The voice means 

well, so you can say, “Thank you. I know you’re trying to protect me, and I hear you, but 

I can do this. Take a seat and stay as long as you’d like. You don’t need to be afraid for me.” 

Recognize these critics and come to anticipate them at times. Remember, you 

don’t need to avoid or run from them. Let them sit in that space and do what you’ve 

got to do for you even when they act up. 

The Journey Ahead 

On your road, you are going to be faced with a lot of negative self-talk. It is 

going to challenge you, change you, and at times, make you doubt yourself. You’ve got 

to look yourself in the mirror and say, “I won’t let you down. I’m going to mess up, it 

won’t always be pretty, but I won’t let you down.” Train your self-talk and your body at 

the same time. Remember why you started and don’t ever give up on yourself. You are 

worth the journey.

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