What's your one push-up workout?

A mentor of mine from the RMT named Mark Peysha, a brilliant coach, always talks about what he calls the “one push-up workout.”

A one push-up workout sounds like a ridiculous workout and to some extent it is. After all, you’re not going to build a ton of muscle definition and strength by getting down and doing one push-up.

However, it is an amazing tool for you to overcome your own personal inertia and your inability to “chunk” activities you don’t want to do. Afterall, when you’re hungry, you don’t focus on the difficulty of eating, you just grab something out of the fridge or call a friend and go to your favorite restaurant.

When you’re thinking about doing something new or something you don’t like it’s way different. Working out has like a million steps that you get hung up on: finding a gym or a workout program, changing your clothes, showering, washing your clothes, going to the gym after you find it, meeting new people at the gym, getting sold a gym membership, and a million other steps and barriers your brain will throw up in front of you to keep you from working out.

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Unfortunately, that’s just how the human brain works if left to its own devices.

The one push-up workout is a way to trick your brain into forward motion. Your brain thinks “oh well, a one push-up workout is no trouble at all.” You don’t have to change your clothes or sweat or even go anywhere. Just hit the floor and you’re in the middle of the workout.

Once you’ve overcome that first mental step, you may even decide to do two push-ups. Or twenty. Who knows how far you’ll go.

The way to overcome your brain’s resistance to progress is to break progress down into tiny steps that your brain wouldn’t even think to resist. Once you’ve broken down the barrier, anything is possible.

Now obviously this doesn’t just apply to working out. This same rule applies to any goal you have or progress you want to make. If you want to start your own business, what is one tiny thing you can do to move in that direction right now? Make a facebook page? Buy a domain?

If you want to go back to school you could start with making a phone call to the counselor or getting your transcripts.

Now the ball is rolling and you’re on your way.

Don’t let your brain stop you from moving the direction you’re meant to go. Find your one push-up workout and start accomplishing instead of delaying.

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