You've got to risk it for the biscuit.

“Train Insane or remain the same.”  Fair enough.  Though does this really achieve the desired effect?  Does it reach its intended target?  Who does it motivate?  Is there a better way?

Often in life, and especially in fitness, we are bombarded with messages that are meant to inspire, motivate, drive, denigrate, chastise, or otherwise instigate change in the way that we approach our fitness.  These are meant to be “mile” markers on our way to a healthier, better us.  However, all of these messages have one thing in common.  They are directed at the faceless masses.  They speak to the entire demographic and in doing so go from a precision tool that can be an instrument of change to background noise.

I love fitness motivation, it gets me fired up and ready to go when I’m dragging it or motivates me to look inward when all I want to do is vegetate.  I see it all the time.  Social media, television, billboards, posters and in my very own gym but like anything, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

People who are reading this post are on journeys just like mine.  We’re not perfect.  We’re works in progress.  The marble before the artist’s chisel.  They are motivated and desirous of change.  They are interested in educating themselves but they are also intelligent enough to do their homework.  They don’t take anything for granted.  Not the newest trend, best fitness gear, exercise, running shoe or nutritional advice…and certainly not the bombardment of endless cliché’s and inspiring one liners that has become du rigueur in our global consciousness.

Motivation is important.  Motivation through social media or any of these other sources is also important.  As a means…not as the end.

Let the inspiration lift you up, give you one more kilometer (or meter if you’re me), one more rep.  Let it lift you when you should fall and drag you when you yourself have given up.

That’s what motivation is for.  It can’t be given.