Action Over Perfection

Question — how often do you find yourself disappointed or regretful in your actions, thoughts — or inaction — on a daily basis?

Now, how often do you count your accomplishments, patting yourself on the back for what you’ve done right (or right enough?)

In my group training & nutrition programs, we make changes to our nutrition and training to see noticeable, long-term results. However, another major focus of progress is mindset.

We talk a lot about perfection, and how it has absolutely no place in my programs. Because the reality is, as hard as you try, you won’t be perfect in your daily actions and goals in regards to fitness or nutrition (or anything, for that matter.)

What’s FAR more important than striving to be perfect is doing your best every single day.

And here’s the thing– your best will vary each and every day.

One day, you might get to sleep on time, log a solid 8 hours, have your breakfast ready to heat up for the morning, and make it to your 4p workout early.

The next day, your baby might wake you up in the middle of the night, robbing you of 2-3 hours of sleep. You miss your alarm, have to grab a (sensibly healthy option that fits your plan as well as it can, but it’s not what you planned) meal on the run, and then a mandatory meeting eats up 30 minutes of your workout.

For that last scenario, there’s two options: the easy option and the action option.

The Easy Option

Get frustrated. Tell yourself this is so hard and you just can’t “get it,” and can’t do anything right. You write the day off and resolve that you just can’t make these changes. The world is against you, and blah, blah, blah.

AKA – throw a pity party….and then throw in the towel

(please don’t take the easy option!!!)

The Action Option

Sure, it might get you frustrated at first, but you make the best choices you can throughout the day considering the circumstances. You realize that although the meal out makes your planned macros or nutrition for the day slightly off, that you can adjust for later, and it’s no sweat. That tomorrow is a new day; nay, that every single second is a new chance to make things get back on plan. That harping on what’s already happened is NOT productive at all, and that forgiving yourself and moving forward is a much better choice.

(spoiler alert: this is the right option!)

Action Over Perfection

If we expect every day to be perfect — as well as ourselves to be perfect, then we’re setting ourselves up for very poor mindset. You’re also decreasing your chance for success by quite a bit.

Now, if Perfection were to have a twin sister, it’d be Comparison. They’re absolutely related, and dabbling in both of them can make you feel pretty damn crappy

It’s important to remember that your “best day” isn’t the same as anyone else’s “best day.” The actions and plans and journey that makes one person successful isn’t necessarily what will make you successful.

For example, some of the women in my Lean Body Boot Camp track macros down to the gram, which works wonderfully for them. Others prefer to use a more flexible approach, which is more appropriate for their lifestyle and history. There is truly no wrong approach here.

The next time you have a not-so-perfect day, I hope you take the Action Option; the option to make positive choices amongst the situation at hand, forgive yourself regardless, and move forward with the belief that you can DO this!