had a client once that all they would do was complain about how miserable they were . They were mean to everyone around them , they were miserable at work , they were miserable at home and they were just plain not having a good time with dieting and training . They wanted to quit a few weeks out of the show and I encouraged them to start seeing the positive in the journey and the fact that they were looking fantastic . But I also told them that if they were so unhappy , to choose what their heart felt best . That unfortunately they were still mentally weak at that point in time , but that if you allow this to be a journey of self-mastery , they would allow their mind to develop that strength in time . I think they were a bit offended by the truth , but the reality is , that this is a sport that only the mentally strong survive . And nothing in life is worth being miserable for and negatively affecting those around you , especially something that you are choosing to do as a hobby . The good news is , that mental strength most of the time is not inherited , but instead developed . If you are someone who has done more than 1 or 2 shows , I am sure you can say your mental fortitude now to adhere to hard training , cardio and a nutrition plan is much more developed than when you did your first show . It is normal to see your first preparation as a very tough journey . Every time you say no to that cookie , or go to the gym when you don ’ t want to , or even do your posing when you are exhausted and rather watch tv or sleep , you are building up that mental fortitude . That mental fortitude is required to train intensely even when you have very little fuel coming in from food . When you are on rep 8 of your squats and you know last week , you hit 10 , this fortitude is needed to get to 11 . THIS IS WHAT WILL MAKE YOU A CHAMPION .
Thinking they ’ re better than they are - Having a great physique is something commendable . But sometimes this inflates people ’ s ego and they suddenly think they are much better than they truly are . I often see this with newer competitors and not so much with experienced ones . Having a great physique does not make you smarter or better than anyone else around you . Sometimes , individuals are so enamored with themselves , that they feel like their physique is going to blow everyone else out of the water . Subconsciously , this leads to many working less hard and not maximizing the potential of how good they could actually look . How many times do you see on social media individuals complaining about their placing and blaming the judges ? Although judges are not perfect , even Mr . Olympia gets feedback on how to improve his physique , so why not take the judges feedback and improve upon those things ? Being humble , kind to others and taking feedback is a key to learning in life . Even if you feel that that specific advice or feedback don ’ t apply to you , take it with kindness , ask yourself if this could be useful to you , and if not , discard it . We can all continue learning in this beautiful personal journey of self-mastery . Those who think that they know everything , are the ones who know the least .
These 7 mistakes that I see often in competitors are a sure way to derail your progress , results , and placings at your next show . Are you or have you been guilty of any of these ? Let me know by tagging me on Instagram at @ physiquetacademy . I can tell you I have fallen trap to many of these in the past myself . But we learn from our mistakes and we become better . I want you to avoid making them in the first place .
If you maximize every aspect of your prep , you will come in with a physique that will wow not only the crowd , but the judges !
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