What’s your endgame?  You know, your goals, ambitions, and definition of success?

No matter what you want out of this life, there is a good chance Resistance and sacrifice will be part of the journey. 

If you are trying to lose weight, you could spend hour after hour, day after day on the elliptical.  Maybe you’ll lose 10 lbs in six months. 

And, you might make small, incremental up the corporate latter.  You show up every day, do just a little more than the next guy and hope to be promoted.  All you want is some cushy middle management position.  You know, the one that will be the first to go when the company downsizes (read – set your sights higher). 

It’s no wonder why you’re not making any progress.  You’re not trying hard enough.  You’re not really trying at all.  You won’t willing admit that, but it’s true.  You F’ things up and it is someone else’s fault.  You hit one out of the park and it was all you.  Finding that hard to believe?  Think about it.  When something goes right you blab to everyone about how awesome you are; “I finished first in my race!” or “I closed a huge account today!”  But when you F’ things up, “the course was too hilly” or “the presentation Jim in accounting put together was a dud.”

Sorry, it doesn’t work that way.  You have to admit that you suck, that you’re not trying hard enough and take ownership of your shortcomings. If you are not willing to do that, you suck and that’s probably why you look the same.

Not following?  Let me explain.

If you do what you have always done, you get what you always got. If you are unhappy with your life, body, relationships, job or ANYTHING, drop the sob story and be a catalyst for change.  We live in the most technologically advanced time period in the history of the world.  You can learn how to build a hovercraft online, so why can’t you use it to find a better job?  Or how about this, spend less time cruising Facebook profiles (stalker alert!) and spend some time watching a TED Talk.  You might actually learn something.

Allow me to tie up any loose ends.  You suck and you look the same because…

Your Outlook Sucks – Listen, we all have baggage.  There’s no getting around that.  So, stop trying.  Suck it up, put a smile on and be grateful.  You are not the busiest, hardest working person in the world.  Other people have responsibilities, a job they hate and a mortgage.  But, you’d never know because they are not raining on your parade. 

 As my Big Al would say, it’s all a matter of attitude.  Yours’ might need some adjusting. 

Your Workout Sucks – So you workout?  Really, is that what you call it? Have you taken the time to identify your personal goals, devised a plan for achieving those goals, recorded your workouts to track your progress in pursuit of those goals and re-evaluated your plan when necessary? 

If you answered no to any of those questions you are wasting your time.  You might go to the gym, you might even break a sweat, but you probably look the same as you did on day one.  You are playing the “just enough” game again.  You are doing just enough to get by because it feels better than doing absolutely nothing.  If you need help getting or staying on track with your workouts just ask.   

Your Diet Sucks –  I am not one for beating around the bush so here goes nothing, if you want to lose weight stop eating so much junk.  Sugar is bad. Refined grains and processed foods are bad.  There is no secret food, diet or supplement. 

It’s simple; eat real foods.  Lean protein, veggies, healthy fats, fruit, some carbs and cut out all of the crap.  Yes, from time to time you can indulge and enjoy yourself; celebrate your success and reward your hard work.  However, that does not mean you get to eat yourself into a food coma.  Be smart, prioritize your meals and plan ahead, otherwise all your hard work will go to waste and you will continue to look the same. 

Your Conviction Sucks – Straight to the point here, and yes I am lacking in the soft skills.   If you find yourself in a constant state of “trying” your conviction sucks.  I know I am not the first to say it, but for what it’s worth, life is short.  We only get one shot at making it the best life possible, and I will be damned if I am going to leave anything up to chance.  You want it?  Go get it, take it, make it happen or as we like to say, DO WORK!

A word of caution for when you begin to take back control of your life and take responsibility for your actions… not everyone will get it.   People are going to tell you that you’re crazy, you work too hard, they will judge you for being “different”, for not conforming, for not adhering to social norms, but that’s only because they are as unhappy as you were. Trouble is, they are too scared to do anything about it. 

Take Away – You have to start doing things that suck if you want to stop sucking.  Yep, it sucks when you are still at work and everyone else is at happy hour.  You do burpees, hill sprints and kettlebell swings, all of which suck.  You are snacking on some veggies and water when everyone else is hammered and downing Pirmanti’s. You guessed it, huge suckfest.

But when the going gets tough remember this, most people suck and look the same, you are trying to be different.  Sure they will have a few laughs at your expense.  But, the next day all they have to show for it is a headache and indigestion.  You on the other hand, your hard work did not go unnoticed.  Staying late at work got you that promotion and your new body got you a hot date.  

So from now on when people ask you why you are not eating this or drinking that or coming out tonight tell they you are trying to be different and not suck; enough said.