What’s Your Motivation? By Axis Labs Athlete Josh Black
I am often asked the question, "What motivates you to push yourself everyday"? 15 years ago if you would have asked me that same question my response would have been something like, "I want to look good and be a better athlete on the football field". Yes I still want to look good but with football, though I love the sport, I'm strictly a spectator.
The difference now is that my motivation runs deeper. My answer now to that same question is that I want to be healthy. I want to have a quality of life that I am able to support my wife, children, grandchildren, and maybe someday, my great grandchildren. I want to be able to spend quality time with my family.
I often make the comment in the gym, "People have been looking for the fountain of youth, well it's been here all along".
I had to watch my father and sister lose their independence, lose their health due to illness, and finally after battling for years they succumbed and passed away 6 months apart of each other. That six months of my life was a very dark time. It was filled with anger and sadness.
Because of that experience in my life, I began to dig deeper inside of myself and it was during that time that I found my true motivation. I don't want to leave my family behind like my dad and sister. Their lives were cut short because of health issues that could have been avoided through healthy living.
My advice, think about those things that are really important to you and use them to drive you. Another one of my big motivations is competing. I decided to compete in my first bodybuilding show as a bucket list item. After I competed the first time, I never looked back. I placed 3rd but I was not satisfied, I wanted to win. Once I won, I decided to look to higher planes. I want my pro card!
This brings me to my number two point: Set realistic, achievable goals. Once you set that goal as Arnold said "work your butt off". It's having a goal and having the attitude that "I will find a way", that separates those that don't reach their goals from those who do.
Recap-
Find a deeper/true motivation
Set a goal and go for it!
The difference now is that my motivation runs deeper. My answer now to that same question is that I want to be healthy. I want to have a quality of life that I am able to support my wife, children, grandchildren, and maybe someday, my great grandchildren. I want to be able to spend quality time with my family.
I often make the comment in the gym, "People have been looking for the fountain of youth, well it's been here all along".
I had to watch my father and sister lose their independence, lose their health due to illness, and finally after battling for years they succumbed and passed away 6 months apart of each other. That six months of my life was a very dark time. It was filled with anger and sadness.
Because of that experience in my life, I began to dig deeper inside of myself and it was during that time that I found my true motivation. I don't want to leave my family behind like my dad and sister. Their lives were cut short because of health issues that could have been avoided through healthy living.
My advice, think about those things that are really important to you and use them to drive you. Another one of my big motivations is competing. I decided to compete in my first bodybuilding show as a bucket list item. After I competed the first time, I never looked back. I placed 3rd but I was not satisfied, I wanted to win. Once I won, I decided to look to higher planes. I want my pro card!
This brings me to my number two point: Set realistic, achievable goals. Once you set that goal as Arnold said "work your butt off". It's having a goal and having the attitude that "I will find a way", that separates those that don't reach their goals from those who do.
Recap-
Find a deeper/true motivation
Set a goal and go for it!