Should we strive for perfection or consistency, confidence, and control?

What do you think about feeling PERFECT?

I personally don't think perfection is attainable

I don't think a lift will ever be PERFECT. I don't think any of us will ever be PERFECT in training. We can work to be as perfect as possible on any given day, but I don't believe there is such a thing as perfection in lifting.

Let's talk about lifting. Lifting is full of ups and downs, and so many outside factors can affect your training day and your mental focus when it comes to your lifts. Aside from outside factors affecting our time with the barbell, we always have something to work on — just when we think we make one thing perfect, we have to start working on something else. 

For example, we have times during training when our snatches are going so well, but then suddenly, we are struggling with our jerks. Or perhaps sometimes we feel really strong, but we can't seem to find our technique, or our movement is going really well, but we don't feel strong. Every athlete is always working on something — if the athlete were perfect, they wouldn't have to work hard anymore to keep mastering their movement, mental game, and everything that lifting is, both with the barbell and in the mind.

What we can strive for is to make each lift as perfect as possible THAT DAY

If we focus on the little things each day we walk in the gym, those little things all come together. Some days, this will feel easy, and some days, it will be a fight. We just have to show up and strive for consistency, wanting to walk up to the barbell every time and make it as technically proficient as possible, to make it feel as good as possible — to always strive to get better.

I believe so many people try to lift in perfect conditions, and they want everything to feel amazing in order to lift. However, I think if you're waiting for a perfect day to make a perfect lift, you're missing out on hundreds of opportunities a month to make PROGRESS.

All of this can be said about life, too. As I said above, "And just when we think we make one thing' perfect,' we have to start working on something else." Can't this be said about life, work, relationships, confidence, self-love…, etc.?

I don't expect perfection, and I don't strive for that or I will always be disappointed. Strive to fight, to be intentional, and to make improvements when things ARE NOT PERFECT.

I talk a lot in HWPO LIFT on Circle (our members-only platform) and on my social media (@aimeeanayaeverett) about building a foundation and focusing on the little things as we build every day, brick by brick. I also talk a lot about using that foundation we are building to create consistency and how becoming more consistent creates a space for us to feel more confident in our lifting.

I TRULY BELIEVE that the more consistent you are, the more confident you are. The more confident you become, the more consistent you become.

The more consistent and confident you are, the result of each one increases the beneficial effect of many other things for you. And ultimately, consistency and confidence help you be more in control – mentally and physically – during your training sessions (and in life!).

It truly is a VIRTUOUS CIRCLE.

Meaning that if you work for it, if you believe in yourself and the power of control the mind has over its own actions (tenacity), you can focus on creating a continuous process of improvement. It takes a lot of focusing on the little things every single day, but once one good thing starts happening as a result, other good things happen, which causes the first thing to continue happening. 

To me, this work you can do for your lifting and your life focuses on being purposeful, not perfect.