What is willpower? Have you ever tried to define it? My guess is no. In fact I believe the reason we don’t ask this question is because we can blame willpower if we don’t follow through with our goals. We prefer to allow the mystery to exist. Haven’t we all heard someone say that they either didn’t have enough willpower or somehow lost their willpower?
Many of us still believe that willpower comes and goes with the wind. It’s unpredictable with uncertain loyalty. Although it seems rather odd, I witness many people using willpower as an excuse to cushion their fall from reaching goals.
Willpower: is energetic determination…and that’s it!
The first thing we all need to realize is that willpower is available to each and every one of us. It’s not handed out at birth based on your genetic blueprint or later in life based on size or smarts. It’s truly there for the taking and it’s FREE. It’s important to realize that based on your lifestyle (conditioned or habitual behavior) you should be able to determine your level of willpower. What do I mean by this? Well, I ‘m sure we all understand that the longer we habitually do something a certain way, it is that much more difficult to change. Whether it’s sleeping patterns, watching TV, exercise or how we eat.
Examples:
For the person who routinely gets up at 6:00am and starts their day off with a brisk walk; it would be reasonable to assume that they would have the willpower to successfully begin an early morning workout program with a trainer at the gym. Another person who routinely sleeps in would be at a different willpower level and would most likely fail if they tried to establish the same early morning training program at the gym. A more realistic expectation would be for the latter person to gradually build their willpower by setting their clock to get up a half hour earlier each day. As this first step becomes conditioned (usually 3-4 weeks) they then are ready for the next step. Along with my first person that regularly got up early, they too (after 3-4 weeks) are ready for the next step in their progression to reach their goals.
I have personally used this system of creating willpower to accomplish the goals I’ve set for myself. These simple steps of progression can make huge differences! Understanding the concept of willpower can make great positive influences on your life. Stop saying “I don’t have” or “I can’t” and start saying, “I do have the willpower to…” “I will!”
As we begin a new week, my hope is that each one of us recognizes exactly what level we’re on. Let’s “set our alarm clocks ½ hour early”. As you prepare yourself for the next step, we would enjoy hearing from you. Please leave your comments so we all can benefit on how ‘creating willpower’ is bringing you closer to your goals.
“A gym membership is a cheap form of great entertainment.”
Joe Gigantino Jr.
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"A workout is a personal triumph over laziness and procrastination." - George Allen
"A workout is a personal triumph over laziness and procrastination." - George Allen
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Joe Gigantino Jr. has been a leading entrepreneur since his arrival in the Silicon Valley. After playing Division 1 football at Fresno State, Joe received his BS degree in Business Marketing and began his career. Joe started his first business soon after graduation. Results Marketing was formed to help athletic facilities incorporate EFT transactions into their billing procedures.
In 1992, at the age of 25, he merged his business with a small athletic club in San Jose, California. Within 30 months from inception, Joe grew the combined business to the sixth fastest growing private company in the Silicon Valley, as stated by the San Jose Business Journal. He was selected by the same publication as one of the top 30 executives under the age of 30 in the Valley. In that same year, Joe was chosen as 1 of 50 from a pool of 1,000 applicants, and the youngest to participate in the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) “Birthing of Giants” Program. Joe sold his interest in the business in 1995 to a valley-based firm who took the chain public.
While building a fast growing business, Joe managed and secured many major contracts with large corporations in the Valley. He oversaw the purchasing of all equipment and apparel, as well as obtained a solid customer base of well over 50,000 through innovative marketing techniques, solid sales management and exemplary customer service.
Joe began his venture into commercial real estate in 1997 with the purchase of his first athletic club building in Milpitas, California. He has successfully continued buying commercial real estate property with athletic club businesses in Gilroy, California, Prescott, Arizona and his most recent athletic club in Los Gatos, California.
Joe has a successful record in start-up ventures: conducting analysis of potential areas for new business development, site and source selection, planning and organizing business policy, establishing customer base and securing long-term relationships, with his expertise being in the business building and development arena.
With the huge push in social media, Joe has gotten on board by using tools such as Facebook and Twitter to reach his vast audience of like-minded followers. Joe also launched workout.com earlier this year, providing a site where he’s an expert in the fitness industry. You can read Joe’s daily motivational workouts on this site as well as weekly inspirational article pieces. Joe has a gift of inspiring others to tap into their own level of health and wellness and to nourish and nurture their body as it was created to be!
In 1992, at the age of 25, he merged his business with a small athletic club in San Jose, California. Within 30 months from inception, Joe grew the combined business to the sixth fastest growing private company in the Silicon Valley, as stated by the San Jose Business Journal. He was selected by the same publication as one of the top 30 executives under the age of 30 in the Valley. In that same year, Joe was chosen as 1 of 50 from a pool of 1,000 applicants, and the youngest to participate in the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) “Birthing of Giants” Program. Joe sold his interest in the business in 1995 to a valley-based firm who took the chain public.
While building a fast growing business, Joe managed and secured many major contracts with large corporations in the Valley. He oversaw the purchasing of all equipment and apparel, as well as obtained a solid customer base of well over 50,000 through innovative marketing techniques, solid sales management and exemplary customer service.
Joe began his venture into commercial real estate in 1997 with the purchase of his first athletic club building in Milpitas, California. He has successfully continued buying commercial real estate property with athletic club businesses in Gilroy, California, Prescott, Arizona and his most recent athletic club in Los Gatos, California.
Joe has a successful record in start-up ventures: conducting analysis of potential areas for new business development, site and source selection, planning and organizing business policy, establishing customer base and securing long-term relationships, with his expertise being in the business building and development arena.
With the huge push in social media, Joe has gotten on board by using tools such as Facebook and Twitter to reach his vast audience of like-minded followers. Joe also launched workout.com earlier this year, providing a site where he’s an expert in the fitness industry. You can read Joe’s daily motivational workouts on this site as well as weekly inspirational article pieces. Joe has a gift of inspiring others to tap into their own level of health and wellness and to nourish and nurture their body as it was created to be!
Hi Mr. Joe! It's me Francine from Carp High. Anyway, I read what you wrote and your words are so true. You know, about 3 years ago, I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. I think the reason I got it is because I was trying to gain weight and I gained weight the wrong way. I was about 135 and I was 5'8 and 1/2. Anyway, I was determined to gain weight no matter what and gain weight I did. Well, then I noticed my hair starting to fall out and I was extremly tired all the time. I would wake up in the morning to find 10 mintues later I wanted to go back to sleep. So, I ended up going to a doctor about my hearing and when they had me go and get my blood test, I found out I had hypothyroidism. I didn't want to be heavy but I did want to start exercising and eating well again. A friend told me about Vitimin B-12 complex and he told me that it turns the food or fat into energy. I started taking it and then got into taking Glucosmine which my orthopedic specialist said would help the pain in my left knee. He was right about that but it took about 6 months for it to actually work. I was eating more fruit and lots of vegies. I cut all sweets out of my diet and Beef. I did on ocassion eat chicken and fish. I would walk every day and do exercises in the park. I went from being 160 to 140 and I was not only feeling good but I could see the results. In October of 2008, my daughter, Jasmine moved in with me and I became lazy and started eating the things she likes, which was a big mistake. I hardly exercised and soon enough I put my weight back on. The new year was quickly approaching and I new what my "GOAL" for 2009 would be. To get in shape again and starting eating healty. Sure enough, in January, I started cutting out all the junk that my daughter was eating and went back to healthy food and started up my exercise routine. I even bought a Total Gym, which I think will really help me reach my goal. You see, back in the late 90's, I worked at the Y.M.C.A. and I was able to use thier gym for free and I got pretty muscular.
ReplyDeleteAnyone can do it. If I can do it, they can do it. I now go to another park here in town and they have stations around the park where you can do pushups,pullups, situps, crunches, and even jogging or Basketball. If there are things you want to improve about your body that maybe you don't like, it just takes determination and it even helps if you have somone to work out with you or go with you when you go walking or even riding a bike. Make yourself get up every morning, eat a healthy breakfast and go for a walk and get out there and reach your goal.
I just recently bought a Total Gym and I plan on getting down to a healthy weight and I want to look like Rachle McGlish. Thank you, Joe for posting about GOALS. Anyone can do it, if they just put thier minds to it.
Thank you so much Francine for sharing your story! You surely have been through it ...and more importantly can understand what a lot of us go through. Keep up the good work. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteJoe
Joe,
ReplyDeleteWillpower is a never ending goal. Can it be accomplished? Absolutely! Will it be altered several times in your life, I hope so. I consider myself in very good shape. But I always have the willpower to improve. Fitness can be a very psychological thing. My willpower to acheive different fitness goals change monthly. 1 year ago my willpower was to be the best bodybuilder on stage. My workouts consisted of lifting heavy and hard for 2 hours a day. Now I am trying to compete against the best in the world for the crossfit games and my workouts last less then 10 minutes.
But willpower is addressed to all aspects of life. Not only fitness. Your willpower will change with age. Right now I have the goal to franchise my business within 2 years. My willpower is to do whatever I need to do to accomplish that goal. So what have I done? I have financial advisors that I hired to set money aside so that goal is accomplished by the year 2011.
I think your idea of willpower is a great subject to address. Do you think I wake up ever morning and say, "YES! I get to work out tonight"? No, absolutely not. I promise you no one, not even the people who get paid to be in the fitness magazines enjoy every minute in the gym. Why? Because they are human. But I have the willpower to succeed. To be the best I can be. If that means I need to be in the gym 6 days a week and at work 12 hours a day, then I will be. I have strong willpower. And you what Joe, so do you. You are a great role model for young entrepeneurs such as myself. You have made a great success with your life. Obviously your willpower is strong. Is it done? I bet not! I bet you have plenty of more goals to accomplish and your drive and willpower will keep you on the right path.
-Justin Moles
Athlete's Fuel
Joe
ReplyDeleteI am SO proud of you for doing this. This blog is great. Your personality and energy shines through each of these. Keep up the good work!
Pam
There's a quote from my brother-in-law says "There are those who dream of success while others go after it....." I follow that saying!
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam!
ReplyDeleteJustin, Great stuff on Willpower. thanks for the comments. Keep up the good work on your biz and your Crossfit training.
ReplyDelete