TL/DR: the reason why your fitness goal is within your reach.

Getting in great shape doesn't happen over night. It is ultimately a life long process. It takes time. I say that, to say this; if you aren't looking in the mirror, hungry for more results, satisfied with how you look, but excited to see more change, then you aren't there yet.

I am writing this post to clear the cob webs. The truth of the matter is, if fitness isn't your number one priority, you're wrong. If you're half assing your diet, or half assing your lifts, you're wrong.

You will be the guy who last year wishes he was in better shape this year. It will haunt you and happen again the year after.

I have lifted for 10 years. For 8 of those years, I only went somewhat hard on diet, and had more than a few occasions where I let go of my last rep because I told myself I would get it next time.

But, this... this is one of the very few things that you have a mass amount of control over in your life. You choose how much sleep you will get, you choose how much food you'll eat, you choose how much work you'll put in in the gym.

There are no excuses. There is only you making a decision to not make it your priority. And you are sadly mistaken to think this shouldn't be the one thing you give all of yourself to. You can continue you tell yourself bullshit. You can continue to take it easy, and go 60 or 70%... or you can choose this moment, not tomorrow, to take it to 100%.

To not cheat yourself whatsoever on your diet, to not cheat yourself in the gym, and to not cheat yourself on sleep.

I say this after taking my diet and routine to this level of serious for 60 days. I haven't had one cheat meal, one extra calorie, and I have not skipped on a single rep. The past two years have been me somewhat bullshitting myself. The eight years before that were me bullshitting myself.

If I could stay exactly the way I am right now for the rest of my life, I would be happy. But i won't stay like this without the work I've put in over the past 10 years, and definitely wouldn't had I not kicked it up to the notch I am at now; if it wasn't for me buckling down the past 60 days to this level. I have 60 left, and I don't plan on allowing the thought of stopping to enter my mind. After that 60 days, I plan to reevaluate.

Self discipline and self awareness aren't easy, but they're possible. The most important thing you can wrap your mind around, is that you have the ability. You are the computer that controls your body, this vessel. Your mind can control you, or you can control it, and use it to control your body.

If you're struggling or unmotivated, realize this; it's all background chatter. Go to the store and pick up two of the most delicious things you can find. Drive home, put one of them on the table in front of you. Now pick it up, and throw it in the trash.

Do you see that, that you had the ability to do that? If you can't find out what I mean, don't worry you've got another, go ahead and call it quits and eat it. If you understood my point, you will see that you can do it again with the second one.

Right before it's your time to go to the gym, sit down on the couch. Look at the wall, the TV, put your feet up. Relax for a few minutes. Now stand up, and walk out the door and go to the gym. Do you see that? You had the ability to do that. You are in control of this vessel, you direct, by shear force, anything and everything you want to do with it.

Just because there is cloudiness occurring in your brain, it doesn't mean your body needs to follow suit. It's your choice, and you have the ability to press onwards and rise above it to reach your goals. Just don't bullshit yourself in the process.