Friday, September 22, 2017

You Are What You Repeat

I've been seeing a physiotherapist for the last several months due to a tragic reading in bed accident that injured my shoulder. I'll be alright. My physiotherapist has a sign on his door that says, "You are what you repeat." That is very true in many aspects of life. Physically, I'm working on getting my shoulder back to 100%. Incidentally, my injured shoulder has never moved correctly. As a kid I thought I was double jointed but really, I most likely hurt myself when I was young and didn't heal properly. Now, 30 years later, not only am I trying to heal my most recent injury, I'm trying to repair damage from my childhood. Things are moving along nicely. It's so strange to think that I'll be able to move my arm in a way that was impossible for me most of my life. The secret, not that its a secret, is to repeat certain movements that activate specific muscles and restore range of motion. My shoulder is what it repeats. For decades I've been repeating improper movements and making them the unconscious function of my shoulder. I am now actively and consciously moving properly so that eventually my shoulder will function in the correct way without my constant attention and self awareness.

But that statement is true in other areas of our lives too. If you want to lose 30 pounds, you must eat sensibly and exercise on the first day. And then repeat it. And then repeat it again and again until it is no longer a diet and fitness regime, it is simply who you are.

If you want a million dollars in your bank account, you don't need to go find one big score. You need to earn a dollar and then save it. And then do it again and again until you reach your goal. If you don't repeat the steps required to reach your goal you will never reach your goal.

You are what you repeat so start doing what you want to be doing. Stop doing what you don't want to do. And then repeat.

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