#TrueTalkTuesdays 72
It doesn’t matter.
How much I can bench press, squat, deadlift, my mile time, medals I have won or anything like that also shouldn’t matter to you when it comes to your personal progress.
Too often, I get people asking for certain benchmarks or milestones that I have achieved and wanting to use that as a standard to measure themselves against. This is not a good approach.
The proper way to measure progress is against yourself.
Trying to measure progress by comparing to others will yield poor results. Either you are going to look better than you are (comparing your running times against a 5 year old kid) or look worse than you are (comparing your running times against Usain Bolt).
There are just too many variables across people to make comparisons, from physical, mental, and environmental. It’s okay to look at someone else’s achievements to get inspired, or get an idea of what needs to be done, just don’t measure your progress based on others.
This is why I have so many devices and programs to measure myself. On my diet blog post, I outlined a measurement process I do for my diet and fitness, using a FitBit to measure my heart rate, sleep, and calorie expenditure. I then have MyFitnessPal to measure my calorie intake and water consumption. I then use FitNotes to track my weight lifting work outs and body measurements.
And that is just for my diet and fitness. I did the same thing for martial arts as a competitor, albeit it was more old school as I was using a journal to record my training session results. What drills I did and how many, how I felt before and after, things I need to improve on, etc.
If this sounds like all too much, it might just be for you if you aren’t a competitor. But in whatever you are truly passionate about it, whether it be your work, another hobby, or your family, you should have a similar devotion to this if you wish to improve. Don’t look at your neighbors lawn to see if your yard is looking greener. Tend to your own matters, and measure them so there isn’t any question of where you were, where you are, and where you want to be.
What do you think? Do you agree or disagree?
Comment with your take on this. And if you like this article, please do me a solid and share it with your friends. Thanks!
I totally agree I have friends that while golfing they brag about driving the ball further than me but at the end of the round they are handing me $ for losing
Your always right on the money Master David just a Awesome teacher and martial artist!!!!!
How true. I was brought out of a 4 yr total retirement as a wild card for the 1st women’s Olympic judo team. The #1 player (US) didn’t know me, wasn’t impressed with my Nidan rank and I was way older. After I beat her she asked why I was only a 2nd degree. I got mine through competition not testing, but coach was pissed at me an i probably wouldn’t get another rank till I died. LOL Rank didn’t beat her… experience and drive did.