Desire, discipline, patience and perseverance

I’m currently a middle-aged man on a mission in my perpetual fitness, health and wellness journey and have some quantifiable goals in mind that are all measurement-based.  I’m a firm believer in metrics-based goals rather than perception goals because, as I’ve said before, “There’s deception in perception.”

In searching for all the tools and “tricks” possible to keep my journey focused, I’ve stumbled across a series of words that I chant to myself periodically, word affirmations of sorts, easy to utter but powerful to inspire and keep me focused in my journey.  Today, I’d like to share with you these four powerful words and what they mean to me.

Desire

Desire is a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.  Right now, I have a goal of weighing 177.0 lbs. on my 64^th birthday coming up in less than 6 weeks.  There’s a story behind how I calculated this weight that I’ll save for a different day.  I’m within striking range as of today but there’s not a day to be lax if I’m going to make “fight weight” – as I describe it – by my birthday. 

I tell myself that my fight opponent on my birthday is Father Time.  I’d like to knock “him” out in the first round when I step into the ring and the fight begins.  I currently have a strong desire to do this; therefore, my desire is very high right now.

Discipline

Discipline is the practice of training to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience. Right now, my discipline is the practice of precise eating to meet my nutritional needs and provide the necessary fuel for my daily living and training activities, at a caloric deficit to help me achieve my fight day weight goal. 

My “punishment” is not having the sense of accomplishment that achieve my goal and having to look at myself in the bathroom mirror and tell myself that I failed.  I currently have strong discipline right now and plan on maintaining it up to fight day and beyond.

Patience

Patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. This one generally is tougher for me because, like many, I’m attracted to immediate gratification, but any worthwhile and achievable goal takes both time and effort.  I currently have an acceptable level of patience right now and plan on doing everything possible to cultivate and sustain it.

Perseverance

Perseverance is being steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.  Currently, I have about four months under my belt in my current fitness, health and wellness journey.  This streak has given me some confidence in my steadfastness to finish the race and enter the ring on fight day making my weight.

I currently have a confident level of perseverance.

For me, these are the current pillars of my middle-aged man strength to reach one of my current fitness, health and wellness goals – desire, discipline, patience and perseverance.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum