I’ve just started a Fitness program at 40 yrs old and trying to get in the best Physical condition possible! Though I have started and not completed many many times!I have to say that my motivation and advice to all is NEVER give up or surrender working hard to attain Peak Condition-Spirtually,Physically and Mentally at any age to help Energize one’s Life to accomplish any Goal or Dream!
Today was Movie Day—a day in which I do nothing but watch movies, and I try to have one at least once a month.
You see, I love movies :-)
And today, perhaps to rekindle my inner child, I spent 91 minutes watching a movie that I literally watched every day for an entire summer when I was 12 years old: Rocky IV.
Now, you may not agree with me that Rocky IV is one of the best movies of all time, but if you’re a Rocky fan at all, you’ve GOT to agree that it’s the absolute best out of all the Rockies (and there will be time to debate that later if you don’t :-)
I mean, what a great story, right? Rocky, avenging his best friend Apollo’s death by defeating the highly-favored, monstrous Russian on his own turf in Russia−even for someone who’s seen it 79 times like me, it’s pretty intense stuff.
But apart from that, even if you somehow didn’t care for the movie (and I can’t imagine how), Rocky IV can still teach you something extremely valuable and applicable to you and your own goals.
And that is, the raw power of motivation.
Let’s be honest, if Rocky had gone in to fight the Drago prior to Apollo or at any other time, under any other circumstances, he would have got his butt handed to him. The dude was a monster, and had Rocky outmatched in every possible way.
But because Rocky had something extremely powerful to motivate him (the fact that this guy killed his best friend), he was able to seemingly defeat some crazy odds and emerge victorious.
Let me ask you a question: What’s YOUR motivation? What is it that gets you up in the morning and over to the gym before work when everyone else is sleeping in?
What is it that allows you to regularly pass up the quick and easy (and frankly, delicious) foods that so many others regularly indulge in?
Do you have a REAL source of motivation? If you don’t, it’s highly likely you’re going to get “knocked out” by all the temptation and “easy ways out” that surround us on a daily basis.
Let’s face it, it’s a heck of a lot easier to eat whatever, whenever, and skip the whole workout thing then it is to live a fit, healthy lifestyle.
You absolutely have to have a very powerful source of motivation, because without one, your toast.
So do you have a source of motivation that keeps you going strong toward your goals each and every day? What is it?
Reaffirm it by posting it in the comments section below to start today off with renewed focus (and if you don’t value your “reason” enough to post it below, it’s probably safe to say that you don’t really have one).
Talk to you in the comments section!
Joel
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I spent most of my twenties and early thirties unfit and unfulfilled. When I saw myself in photographs, I would feel depressed because I looked bloated and lethargic no matter how hard I tried to look my best. Instead of being pro-active and doing something about it, I just wallowed in misery and self-pity.
Then I rekindled an old love of dancing and that inspired me to get healthy and slim. But I still felt that no matter how much my technique improved, I would never be a good dancer unless I looked like one too. The extra weight just made me look so clumsy.
Getting fitter through dance inspired me to start going to the gym as well, to develop more strength and cardiovascular endurance. I’m starting to be able to wear fitted clothes that I have not been able to for the last 10 years. I am also feeling more confident when wearing my bellydance costumes.
Plus, having a boyfriend who is 11 years younger than me is a huge wake-up call to get to my goal weight. I don’t want people to think that I am his mother!
My motivation? I want to live pain free, healthy and active… For as long as I can. Years ago as a miner that didn’t look like a viable option, now guys like you have shown me it is. Thanks probably doesn’t cover it.
The trouble with being overweight is the lack of motivation to do something about it, still reasonably healthy yet not fitting into the clothes I wish to wear is I guess my motivation, I loved all the Rocky movies and I too just want to go the distance as he did in Rocky 1…I want to bounce around that ring and scream out…ADRIAN…I DID IT!
my goal is simple but still very important for me: having well developed and visible 6 pack abs! I’m going to pay the price it requires to happen and I’m sure that I’ll achieve it sooner or later because I know it’s only a matter of time before I achieve my goal!
Rocky 3 was the best, Stallone was in the best shape of his career,the final rounds when he danced around the ring and mr T cannot be matched!!,by the time 4 had come it had been done too many times
Gotta take steroids to look like Drago
I’m 48 this year and going to Hawaii for a holiday with my beautiful wife of 26 years. I want to take my shirt off at the beach and for people to look and think, “wow, he’s got a good body for an old dude!”. Not to mention the health benefits it’s doing for me. Plus I’m a practicing Black Belt and I feel a bit hypercritical getting my students to push the exercises when I’m standing there with this big belly hanging out?!! So I need to look the part in my Gi, as well as look good on the beach…
My motivations are my sedentary job and various time-consuming chores, and the fact that I don’t get enough time to train . I get motivated to do physical activity whenever I have some time on my hands because I know that if I skip it I may not get the time to do physical activity till the next day or (if things get hairy) maybe till the next few days!
Hi :o) My motivation is – FAME UK Bikini competition in London 4-5th of June. Have been thinking about compiting for over 2 years………. But that’s enouhg of thinking, right???? :o)
I thought it was one of the best movies and my motivation is my kids to stay fit for them and try to teach them the right way to live plus my job needs me to be the best i can be also but my kids #1 reason.
I am 58 years old. The woman in my life is 56 and she is the most beautiful person in the world. I look after myself for her and thank my Creator for giving me the ability and good health to do so. I am truly blessed and fortunate that they are both in my life. They are my motivation to get my butt out of the sack at 0530 everyday and hit the gym five to six times a week.
put on weight over holidays and want to burn it all back off, 104 kgs now in 10 weeks i want to be down to 94 and be lean aswell.
cant wait im pumped
@ Chris Cannon:
Ha ha ha ha!
Believe it or not, I was travelling on business in Cleveland all last week, working 20 hours days, and they had a Rocky marathon on. Although I didn’t get the time to watch them all, I did spend time watching Sly jump around in the water on the beach in his “short shorts” with Apollo. Of course, there’s one of my all time favorite actors, Mr. T (aka Clubber Lang) throwing haymakers back and forth with the Stallion.
I caught bits of Rocky IV. However, I have to agree with Joel, Rocky IV was the best one of them all. Rocky V on the other hand, was a waste of everyone’s time.
Personally, I’m not exactly sure what motivates me to get up at 5:30 every morning to exercise. I’ve been doing it for about 20 years now, and I think it’s who my identity is. I’ve always been seen as the muscular, in-shape guy. So, I think if I lost that and went all flabby, I’d lose part of my identity. Does that make sense?
Anyway, if nothing else, the Rocky videos ARE motivational. Sly was shredded back then!!!
My new motivation is the fact that I am going to be a father for the first time and I need to be fit and healthy to protect my family and to be able to enjoy them for a long long time.
My mission is to have an eye popping jaw dropping lean functional and muscular body with a low fat percentage and good looking six pack abs. I am on my way to achieving it, and will do so this year. Great article Joel…
@ Brenda Ross:
Congrats on the weight loss Brenda.
I was over 275 pounds over 3 years ago. I got all the way down to 179. Then I kept hitting plateau.
I am 50 and have a 2 year old daughter so yes like you I need to stay in shape to be there for her.
What did you do to get all the way down to 148 pounds? I am 5’8″.
What did you find that worked to get rid of the stubborn belly fat?
Congrats on your weight loss!
The thing that bothers me in this country is the fact that there are way too many obese people. If they realized that diet is 80-90 percent of the problem they would change it in a hurry!
We need to start doing more to get our children out of this fast food/junk food mentality before its too late!
The one “Rocky” line that does it for me is from the last film, I believe.
When Rocky compares boxing to Life.
It’s about how much pain you can take and still keep moving forward.
Shade of “Cool Hand” Luke’s, “You’re gonna have to KILL me, Boss.”
Spartan defiance.
That’s my bread and butter.
sj
my motivation is knowing what i would and could look and feel like if i gave up
My motivation is a lovely white wedding dress hanging in my closet and only 6 months to go. It fits now, but it’d look even better with 20 lbs gone
My motivation is the fact that I don’t want to look or end up like my family has ended up. I know taking care of myself will only benefit me in the end; I am also trying my damnedest to get my family to be healthy and take care of themselves as well.
My motivation is my son. I want him to be proudof me and I love having the energy to keep up with him!
My motivation is my age. I am 51 yrs young and I want to be in the best shape that’s possible. I want to have a mid-section that is fat-free and a strong core, free of sickness and a sign of good health.
My motivation is to have the best health condition that I can, is to be the best that I can… But frankly speaking, I think I’m not putting much effort into it… Specially regarding my diet!
First, I’m a heathen. Never seen ANY Rocky films. Why? Check my name. I grew up with every male professional greeting me like Sly.
That said- my motivation for losing almost a foot off my measurements in 6 weeks has been to carve out time for myself. Intense exercise is lime meditation for me, a really great way to reconnect with my sense of self and take stock of my physical state.
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Hey, it’s Joel! So you want to know a little more about me, huh? Well, I’d be happy to oblige :-)
I guess it all started back in 2001 (my freshman year of college) when I was just a “skinny fat” 19-year old kid. At the time, I was spending close to 2 hours a day in the gym (now my workouts last about 30 minutes), and despite my efforts, you’d probably never guess I worked out a day in my life by looking at me...