Steps of Progress: There’s no magic pill

By Lara Foster

In my experience through the fitness industry, a lot of people ask a lot of questions. How’d you do that? What’s your secret? What did you take? A lot of people do a lot of things a lot of different ways. There’s programs, plans, variations, supplements, guidelines, pills, quick fixes, and plenty of craziness in between.

Success happens. But, where is the real magic? Is it IN the pill, the quick fix? The program? Even, maybe a Coach? Well, I believe, that depends on the sustainability, consistency, and resiliency that is generated in you through the process of whatever approach you’re taking.

I feel like the truer question is, Why did you do that? Why did you do it that way? The intention behind the Why will start to display itself as the magic or, the miracle you’re looking for. Every moment that you create empowerment in, is the most substantial part of the process. Every moment you know Why you’re doing What you’re doing and Believe that the change is happening through that process, IS the absolute excellence of progress.

Changing beliefs, habits, transforming your Life is all about following through on that change. I like to look at new beliefs, new behaviors, as new bridges to cross. You create that bridge once you set a new intention, or goal in front of yourself. Now, it’s your job, your choice, to utilize and create opportunities to travel along the path of that new bridge with integrity. The more you actually follow through and travel through every step on that bridge the more empowerment you gain towards your new goal, new belief, and transformation.

Progress IS the process of empowerment. Sometimes it’s two steps forward, one step back, but your resiliency shines through and you start moving forward again. Sometimes you feel like you want to jump ship, get off of the bridge entirely. And you can, but you’ll either start back at square one of the same bridge, or, you’ll have to create a new bridge (which a lot of people do, but ultimately never end up finishing anything). Sometimes, you just want to jump ahead and get to your goal already. This is the point of patience, of reflecting on all of your progress, this is the point that the temptation of a magic pill or a quick fix pops in.

Have you ever gotten to this point? Felt like, why is this taking soooo Long!? I wish I could skip a few steps, just a few. What’s so bad about that? You’ll get There faster. But, Where is there? What are you really trying to do? Get to a destination? Or rather, learn the route to get there so that no matter what happens you can always find your way back… Power in the path.

You’ve made the powerful decision to change, now it’s time to travel the path on the bridge. I think of the traveling on a new bridge like this, with 10 Steps. You stand at Step 1, longing to get to Step 10, said destination/goal, whatever it may be. You start changing your life, adopting new behaviors, progressing towards 10. Sleep changes, eating styles change, your activity levels increase, you start treating others with more kindness, stress diminishes, you start feeling the fulfillment of traveling the path. You’re excited about the change, excited that you realized you need to make a change, and excited about the prospects of that change actually happening.

But then you hit Step 5 or 6. Excitement has waned, but you’re nearly there. Frustration, impatience, a little bit of doubt start to set in. You look backwards. You can see you’ve come so far. But looking forward, all you can see is Step 10. And all you can think is, “I’m not there yet.” So you wonder, how can I get there faster? Maybe there’s a way. And there is, there is Always a way. But the truer question is, is it an honest redeemable sustainable way? Will you be empowered by the way?

A magic pill could cut your journey in half. Let’s say you take said magic pill at Step 6. All of a sudden you’re at Step 10. You’re at your goal. Triumph is your hands. But then How do you appreciate it? How do you talk about it? How do you share that experience? All you can talk about is 10, 10, 10. Triumph! What is the story you’re telling yourself at this point? People are going to ask, you’re going to have to explain. People want to hear the back story, they want to know how you travelled up that mountain, where you fell down, how bad it hurt, and what inside of you made you get back up. What will you tell them? How can you help them?

There’s two options. You either share your magic pill, or you share exactly how you moved through each and every step along the journey. Every step is significant in one way or another. It’s how you empower yourself, by embracing and engaging in each and every step of the journey. It’s how you allow yourself to be empowered by the experiences of Life itself.

Your most important task will be sharing your experience Through each and every step of your journey. And yes, taking a magic pill Could be a step on a journey. But I believe it’s an illusion, it’s an illusion of triumph of getting to Step 10. You’ll be there for a moment, or for however long those pills last you. But, inevitably you’ll realize, deep down, you’re still on Step 6. And at that time you’ll have a choice to make. Take another magic pill? Or maybe, just maybe, you, your Heart, and all the strings that go along with it will decide to truly, authentically, openheartedly step forward and really try Step 7 to gain full belief in yourself as you follow through to Step 10.

You can try to ignore it. Try to pretend that you’re really victorious. But Step 6 will keep popping up in your life in all sorts of different ways, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. Step 6 will keep showing itself to you, until you really face it. That’s the way Life works. In order to sustain true victory (growth/progress/excellence), which I believe is Operating In Abundance no matter what happens in Life, is having the courage to face and move through all of the steps and lessons along the journey. I encourage you to find out for yourself that there is no magic pill, there is no quick fix. The power is in the path and your courage expands as you travel the path. The Path of Progress.