Unlocking Long-Term Fitness Success: The Power of the Compound Effect
Getting in shape and staying healthy can be easy. Do you believe me?
Probably not.
I don’t blame you. You’ve been told you need to get up at 5am, say bye-bye to your favorite foods, and exchange misery for progress.
In fitness, where quick fixes and instant results often steal the spotlight, achieving long-term success might seem like an insurmountable challenge.
Here’s the deal - restriction and sacrifice isn’t required for a lower number on the scale or more defined biceps. Not with this strategy, at least.
The only catch? You need time to see the full benefits. If you’re not a patient guy or gal, this strategy isn’t for you.
The only other thing you need to know? Putting this concept into practice will earn you decades of looking and feeling your best.
Many start with great enthusiasm only to see their motivation wane as they fail to see immediate, dramatic changes. Frustration leads to lose of hope and, ultimately, they give up.
They don’t know there's a potent strategy that can help them attain their goals, no matter how ambitious they may be – the compound effect.
At its core, the compound effect is about consistently making small, positive choices that may seem inconsequential initially but accumulate into remarkable results over time. This principle applies not only to exercise but also to your dietary choices, daily routines, and overall wellness.
Initially, these small efforts may not appear to have a noticeable impact, but as time passes, their cumulative effect becomes apparent, leading to significant, lasting results.
My experience as a physical therapist illustrates the magnitude of this effect. You’ll never believe this. I’ve seen the same two patients in every state I’ve worked in: North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona, Colorado, and Texas.
Pat - 75 years old. Vibrant, mobile, full of energy. He’s able to enjoy time with his family, go to the gym, and travel the world. He’s fulfilled, has felt great for a long time, and there’s no end in sight.
James - 55 years old. Lethargic, in pain, confined to the couch. He relies on a handful of meds to manage his blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and chronic pain. He’s struggling, he doesn’t know if he’ll ever feel healthy again, and there’s no end in sight.
We’re not talking about two guys the same age or a few years apart. We’re talking 20+ years of vitality and good health that James is leaving on the table. That’s what’s at stake.
Today, we'll delve into the top three elements of the compound effect:
Making small, consistent changes
Building healthy habits
Learning how to stay motivated
My goal for you is to embrace the compound effect as a blueprint for lifelong fitness success. That way, you win today and over the long run.
Today, you will reap the benefits of feeling better, with more energy, focus, and drive. Long term, you get to rest easy, setting yourself up for healthy aging and the ability to maintain a high quality of life in your 50s, 60s, and beyond.
Here’s how to start.
1. Making Small Changes
Consider the power of small changes over the long haul.
For instance, if you were to lose just one pound a week, by the end of a year, you would have shed 52 pounds. If you do just 20 push ups each day, you’ll have done 7,300 in a year. 10 pages a day, an extra 10-15 books a year.
You get the idea. Turning modest daily efforts into significant, lasting results is the power of the compound effect.
Small changes aren't just about the final destination; they're about the journey itself. Each tiny improvement you make breeds momentum. It's like pushing a snowball downhill; at first, it's small and slow, but as it rolls, it gathers more snow and becomes a massive force.
Small changes in your daily routine can have the same effect, snowballing into more significant transformations over time.
The compound effect magnifies small changes over time. Whether it's eating a bit healthier, adding a few extra steps to your daily walk, or squeezing in a short workout, those small actions will accumulate and create significant, lasting changes.
2. Building Healthy Habits
Imagine building a structure with building blocks. Each block represents a habit, and your daily routine is the blueprint.
Habits are the building blocks of your life, and by stacking them efficiently, you can create a sturdy foundation for success.
Building healthy habits is vital for taking full advantage of the compound effect. It's here where the principles of…
Habit stacking
Making the habit easy
Capitalizing on your peak energy, willpower, and focus earlier in the day
…all come into play.
Habit stacking involves linking a new habit to an existing one. For instance, if you're already in the habit of brewing coffee in the morning, you can stack on a morning stretching routine right after. This leverages the momentum of an established habit to introduce a new one seamlessly.
Making the habit easy and rewarding is key to its sustainability. As James Clear, author of "Atomic Habits," suggests, reducing friction and adding rewards to your habit can make it more enticing.
Lay out your workout clothes the night before, so they're ready for you. After your morning exercise, treat yourself to a healthy smoothie or a relaxing stretch session. These small rewards reinforce the habit and make it enjoyable.
Consider the timing of your habits as well. Research shows that our energy, willpower, and focus are typically at their peak earlier in the day. If you aim to prioritize exercise or other challenging tasks, doing them in the morning can set a positive tone for the rest of your day. It's all about capitalizing on your resources when they're at their fullest.
By embracing these 3 keys, you create an environment that reduces the friction in the way of healthy habits. These habits will become the cornerstone of your fitness efforts, ensuring that the compound effect works for you (as opposed to against you) over time.
3. Staying Motivated
Motivation can be as fickle as the weather. It's like a spark that can ignite your journey, but it often burns out as quickly as it appeared. To truly succeed in the long run, we need something more dependable than motivation. We need discipline and accountability.
Motivation, while powerful, is short-lived. Relying solely on motivation to carry you through isn't sustainable. Think of it as a sprint; you might start strong, but you'll tire out quickly.
Discipline, on the other hand, is the marathon runner's mindset. It's about doing what needs to be done, even when you don't feel like it. Discipline is the force that keeps you going, day in and day out, long after the initial motivation has faded. It's the key to achieving lasting results.
Accountability is the glue that holds it all together. Share your goals with a friend or fitness partner who can keep you in check.
Joining a fitness group or hiring a coach (ahem) can also provide the accountability you need. When you know someone is watching your progress, you're more likely to stay committed when things get tough.
Discipline and accountability are key components of the compound effect because they bolster the most important variable - time. You need to stay consistent over the long haul to see your efforts compound. To stay in the game, you need to avoid going too hard, too fast and burning out.
How You Can Use The Compound Effect Today
In our journey through the world of fitness and the incredible power of the compound effect, we've uncovered the secrets to achieving lasting success.
Let's recap the key takeaways.
The compound effect is the magic that happens when you consistently make small, positive choices that accumulate into significant, lasting results over time. Just like a snowball growing as it rolls downhill, your efforts, no matter how small, magnify in impact as time goes on.
Starting small, building healthy habits, and embracing discipline, rather than relying on fleeting motivation, are essential components of the compound effect. Surrounding ourselves with an environment designed for success and being accountable to ourselves and others are equally critical.
Not sure if your future self will thank you for starting today? Consider the 1 in 60 Rule.
Pilots are taught that after 60 miles a one degree error in heading will result in straying off course by one mile. This framework applies well to life, too.
If your priorities are slightly off track, the negative effects increase over time. The opposite is true, too.
The longer you wait to begin your fitness journey, the more time you lose, and the greater the potential benefits you miss out on. Time is the compound effect's best friend, so why delay?
Here's my challenge to you: Start small, but start today. Plant the seed of change, and watch it grow into a mighty tree.
Whether it's a 10-minute workout, a single healthy meal choice, or an after dinner walk around the block, those small actions will accumulate. You may not see a difference after a day or a week, but you'll be amazed at the transformation you'll see over months and years.
P.S. Are you dying to take the first step but have no idea where to start? Sign up for a free call with me today.
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Sitting down with you over Zoom'
Listening to your history and goals
Helping you draw up a game plan to get you to where you want to be
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3 Steps You Can Take
Apply for coaching - If you’re ready to start, you can sign up for a free chat with me here. Best case, you change your life. Worst case, we come up with a road map you can follow to achieve your goal. Sounds like a win-win, to me.
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Keep learning - You can check out my other articles here. Nobody asked me to, but I’ve spent a ton of time researching everything from artificial sweeteners to saturated fat to testosterone and more, so you don’t have to.
Thanks for reading,
John