Paying the Correct Price
By
Joe London
“Nature cannot be tricked or cheated. She will give up to you the object
of your struggles only after you have paid her price.” —Napoleon Hill
I use this quote several times each week. It helps me when I’m trying to get my
clients or potential clients to evaluate their current fitness or health status.
This is how the conversation typically goes:
Client: “I’m not losing any weight.”
My response: “Nature can’t be tricked or cheated.”
Client: “I don’t feel like I’m getting any stronger.”
My response: “Nature can’t be tricked or cheated.”
My reply is perfect every time. I also often hear people say, “I’m watching
what I eat” or “I’m lifting weights” or “I’m doing my running.” The list goes on
and on and on...ad nauseum. Well, nature can’t be tricked or cheated.
“Red” Blaik was the football coach of Army in the 1940s and 1950s. He won two
national championships and wrote a book titled, You Have to Pay the Price.
This was his mantra. If you want to win championships, you have to pay the
price. Incidentally, he had a young offensive coach who learned about paying the
price by sacrificing health and family in order to win football games. His name
was Vince Lombardi, and he led the Green Bay Packers to two Super Bowl
victories.
I have learned about paying the price with an outfit called ebay. I’ve learned
that I’m only willing to bid a certain amount of money for some items. If I win
the item, I’m happy. But if I don’t win the item, it isn’t a big deal. If it’s
an item that I want very badly, I tend to pay the correct price and win the
item.
Basically, I’m doing what my clients or potential clients do. Either I’m willing
to pay a price or I’m willing to pay the correct price. It’s pretty much black
and white at this point. There’s no middle ground. I call this the ebay effect.
People go through the motions of paying a price, and they hope they reach their
goals with a low bid. They’re paying a price, but they’re not paying the correct
price.
Do you want to lose weight? You need professional help from a dietician or
Weight Watchers. Most people balk at this idea, and try to do it on their own.
But they never pay the correct price. Do you want to get stronger or faster? You
need a professional when it comes to technique and program design. Most people
(I estimate 95 percent) never consider that their technique or faulty program
design is the problem. They’re paying a price but not the correct price.
How will you know if you’re paying the correct price? Nature can’t be tricked or
cheated. If you’re reaching your goals, you will know...and so will everyone
else.
Joe London, CSCS, graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s
degree in exercise and sport science in 1992 and has been training clients ever
since. A self-professed “non-athlete” in high school, Joe competed in the U.S.
Olympic trials for bobsledding in 1998.
Elite Fitness Systems strives to be a recognized leader in the strength
training industry by providing the highest quality strength training products
and services while providing the highest level of customer service in the
industry. For the best training equipment, information, and accessories, visit
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