This weekend I was baking some cupcakes (healthy ones, but delicious all the same!) and as my concentration slipped, I added too much baking powder. I paused for a second and thought “does it really matter?” I did a quick Google, and discovered that when you add too much baking powder the cupcakes can rise uncontrollably (doesn’t sound like a bad thing to have more cupcake?!) or can have a very bitter taste (not so cool!) This was all becoming a bit more complicated and stressful than I had hoped, and I wasn’t even guaranteed to get want I wanted in the end.
Baking has never really been my thing, so I appreciate why recipes are there. We can trust that all of the chefs, or normal people who have more talent for baking than me, have tried and tested the way to make cupcakes before, they have already done the work to figure out the perfect balance of ingredients to get the perfect treat.
Success leaves clues in every area of life. Whether we want to start a new business, invest our money, start a family, plan a wedding, lose weight, complete an Ironman, plan a trip around the world - anything we can dream of - someone, somewhere has done it before and achieved what you desire (or very close to it). They have already been through all the trials, tribulations, failures and successes, to reach that goal you dream of.
So all we need to do, is be willing to follow the same recipe. If we follow the recipe 100%, we are guaranteed the outcome.
As we move further through training and become more familiar with the exercises, we can start to become complacent and just go through the motions. As we become more comfortable with our nutrition, we can start to pay less attention to our portion sizes, add in some extras here and there, sneak some left over Christmas chocolates from the cupboard when no-one is looking. We stop following the recipe for success and then wonder why we are not seeing the results the recipe promised.
If you have a dream of achieving a goal, my advice would be:
* Do your research to understand what’s required
* Ask for help from experts, mentors or coaches
* Understand what has worked before and why
* Be open to the advice and coaching offered by those who have been through the process already
* Put in the work and effort
* Follow the plan consistently
You can be your very own cupcake, if you just follow the recipe!
I believe there is always space to be learning and improving when it comes to training and nutrition. We can always refine what we already know or practice, and improve the outcome.
You might feel you already have the basics sorted, so maybe it's time to take it to the next level? Or you might still feel that you are struggling to master the basics, so you could do with a refresher?
Wherever you are right now, it is not the final destination, unless you choose for it to be. Once you get clear about your goals, there is a recipe for success ready and waiting for you to follow.
I am here to support, so if you want to chat, let me know.