When it comes to health and fitness results, most people get too wrapped up in the big picture.

The 30 pounds they need to lose.

The aching pain in their back that won’t go away.

They get frustrated if they can’t see immediate results.

And if they don’t see the scale move or feel a difference in their back pain in a day or two, they get frustrated and give up.

Has this ever been you?

The solution is simple: Just win today.

Today is the only day you control.

Each day is a unique opportunity to get better.

Maximizing each one consistently – one after another – will get you the results that you want.

Worrying about what can’t happen today, or what you don’t have control over, is a recipe for disappointment.

Do one thing today that will move you closer to your goals.

And don’t worry about tomorrow … or the next day … or next week.

Just win today.

How to Practice Being Healthy

I've been a voracious reader of biographies as far back as I can recall.  

I make it a habit to learn from successful folks.

As a coach, I study coaches and other leaders in hopes of improving my own performance... because that helps me to help others even better.  

In some cases, a truly successful person has a physical talent or trait that sets them apart.

In other instances, they’re simply smarter than most all the rest.  

Think of the geniuses recruited as code-breakers in WWII.

They deciphered complex German and Japanese radio transmissions and, as a result, saved lives and helped win the war.  

But in the vast majority of cases, probably 90+ percent, it’s not a talent that sets them apart.  

It’s a combination of four characteristics.

Deliberate practice of these character traits is the key to becoming leaner, stronger, and happier.

1. Belief

The successful believe that they can do great things.  

They know that they can accomplish big things, because they embrace a truth that most people ignore:  

We don’t have to settle.

We can all do so much more than we typically accept as what is possible.  

That belief… that mindset of thinking bigger… of "why not me?" it propels them beyond the places most people settle in.  

2. Perseverance

The willingness to get up when they’ve been knocked down and the understanding that setbacks are part of any great journey.  

In fact, the successful often thrive because of those very challenges rather than being derailed by them.  

They know that their greatest accomplishments often come on the heels of them overcoming an obstacle.  

And they also know that those challenges serve as a "weeding out" process for those who aren’t willing to persevere… and that being willing to stay the course is a huge competitive advantage.  

3. Consistency

Successful people know that you have to be willing to "show up" over-and-over to ever become great at something.  

That you can easily jump past 90% of the competition by simply doing good work day after day.  

The greatest in any field all have put in the work and the time, and yes, while they look for ways to expedite the process and improve faster.

They respect the fact that success is the culmination of a lot of small wins… not just a single big one.  

4. Willingness to be different

Consider any successful person you admire…  

They all, at least all those I can think of, have been willing to break away from the norm.  

Every really successful client-athlete I know has been willing to deviate from the norm in some way as well.  

Those successful folks know that you can’t be lean if you’re eating/drinking how obese folks eat/drink.  

You can't just take your dog for a leisurely walk in the park and expect to get stronger, leaner, and more athletic.  

You actually have to train like an athlete... just like my successful client-athletes.  

What I love about all four of these characteristics is that they are all attainable.  

They’re accessible to me and to you.  

Just like success is.  

Sure, there are some things we may not be able to achieve.

But our complete body of work, from the impact we make and the legacy we leave and the lifestyle we enjoy, we can all play bigger (or better) than we often imagine.  

Those folks who set a realistic goal, create action items and deadlines, and then achieve their goal… they’re not superheroes or anything close.  

They’re people who embrace and employ these four characteristics.  

They’re simply the people who should remind you that you can do great things.  

To your success,  

Coach Joe  

Joseph Arangio helps 40+ men and women get leaner, stronger, and happier. He's delivered over 100,000 transformation programs to satisfied clients around the globe. If you want to lose weight from home, with the best online personal trainer, or you want to visit the best personal trainer in the Lehigh Valley, you can take a free 14-day trial.