Most people I’ve met don’t have a knowledge or an information problem.

They know the difference between a tomato and a cake.

They know they should train most days.

They know that sleep and hydration matters.

They know what they need to stop doing.

If more knowledge was the answer, then we’d all be in great shape, fully focused at work, happy, smiling and living our best life.

But when I talk to many people, that’s not what I see.

What I see is a gap.

The gap between what you know, and what you do.

And that ladies and gents is where the drift starts.

There is rarely ever a big incident or “thing”.

Nothing breaks (hope not anyway!).

You’re still showing up and getting sh*t done.

But without realising it, standards have slipped.

You still train, just not properly and without any real intensity.

You still eat “decent”, but more little treats start to appear.

You still talk a good game when it comes to discipline, but in reality, you’re negotiating each and every day.

And if you tried to pass the mirror test, then you can’t, because deep down YOU KNOW IT.

For me, the big question is why does this happen?

Why is the hardest part walking through the gym door?

Why do you self sabotage when life is actually going pretty good?

Why do you avoid the basics that you know work, and 99% of the time make you feel much better?

The answer lies in MAPPS pillar 4 – ACTION.

Because action exposes you.

The gym isn’t just about the sweat, the aches, or even feeling uncomfortable.

It’s because you can’t blag it.

You can’t talk a good game with the gym.

You’ve either done the work or you haven’t.

The same goes with your food, sleep, hydration etc.

You know what to do.  

It’s just sometimes boring making those small choices, and it doesn’t give you that slight high (remember short term pleasure = long term pain?!).

Self sabotage is not about you being lazy.

It’s you giving yourself a little back door.

An excuse.

Because if you don’t fully commit, you’ve always got an excuse.

If it doesn’t work, that little voice in the back of your mind can say “oh well”, because you never really tried anyway.

So, you sit in the middle.

Busy.

Tired.

Spinning plates.

But not actually doing anything of note that will move things forward.

And that my friends is THE GAP.

Now here’s the truth from your good friend Mr Moylan:

You don’t need another shiny object, fad or latest trend.

You don’t need any more knowledge.

You don’t need someone to tell you what you want to hear.

You need to create your standards, (personal code), and stick to them.

Train even when you don’t feel like it.

Eat like an adult instead of a child.

Go to bed earlier than you want to (Netflix will still be there tomorrow!).

Connect that your standards and personal code are WHO you are, not how you feel that day, hour or minute.

Understand that the more you negotiate with yourself, the weaker the decision gets.

Make your promises small and keep them.

 You already know what to do.

The only question is whether you’re willing to do it, especially when you don’t fancy it, when it’s boring or when nobody is watching.

That’s the work.

That’s the Lonely Walk.

And that’s where health, happiness and results live.

Ric