A Word About Expectations

The old saying "failing to plan, is planning to fail" is true in every situation. Like most things in the iron game, the simplest things are the most effective and planning your routine, program, week-hell, even planning your day can lead to greatness. We get too interested in the outcome that we ignore the work to get there, and once we ignore the need to plan-we wind up settling for much less than what we set out for.

Whether it's a strongman contest or a bodybuilding show, setting accurate expectations for yourself is the way to achieve anything. But how much time do you sit down thinking not about the endgame, but about the steps along the way? How much time do you devote to benchmarking or setting a time frame for certain things? Probably not much. I'll pull the curtain back and talk about some successful programming I had once.

My goal was to deadlift 700 pounds from the floor. I only knew that had about 3 months before competition and I was healthy, so why not 700 pounds, right? Well, to start with I had no idea where I was and 700 pounds was an arbitrary number. At this contest they'd be setting a state record and I did some digging and figured that 700 would be a good pull. Here are some of the flaws in that idea...

• I had no idea what I was currently capable of
• 700 pounds might not even be possible for me
• I had 14 weeks to contest time
• 700 pounds was a goal that had no real purpose

Easy first step, what could I do now and how much would I have to progress in 12 weeks. I went to the gym and pulled 525 from the floor-perfect form. So, could I gain 175 pounds to my deadlift in 12 weeks? Not likely. 

Number two grew from my first issue, why 700? There was no real reason for it and considering I was doing only 525, this was practically impossible. So I dropped that to 600, which was attainable and compared to my current weight, this goal would be much less likely to lead to over training or injury. 

14 weeks to contest time? No brainer, 1 week to adjust my current training and the week before the contest would be active rest. 

Why 700? Sometimes we just get an idea in our head and get fixated on it, only to later realize that it made no sense to begin with and then we get disappointed. Knowing that I couldn't possibly pull that much weight already made me feel like a failure, despite that fact that the number itself had no tangible value. 

By failing to plan out a sensible and realistic program, I shot myself in the foot. Everyday I'd go to the gym and feel like the guy who couldn't pull 700 instead of the guy who was getting stronger every week and would eventually (almost) pull 600. 

One of the biggest problems we face, even those of us who are experienced competitors, is that we often get too focused on one facet of the program, or worse, the outcome, and lose sight of the true progress we are making, which comes with every regular workout. So much of our success and failure is determined by our mindset and once we give in to the negative side of that, it's over. But, and it's a big but, if we give in to the positive side of it-success is assured! If I would have gone in to the gym saying, "damn I was crazy to think 700, but I'm gonna kill 600!" I can only imagine how much work I would've gotten done. Apply this to your own life, what are you working toward? Do you have reasonable expectations, or are you chasing the pie in the sky?

There's nothing wrong with dreaming big, but Rome wasn't built in a day and neither are the biggest dreams you can imagine. Take it step by step, brick by brick, and as long as you go according to plan you cannot lose. 

Believe in the process-believe in yourself!