Bodyweight Workout Persistence

Some very wise words from John Peterson, who developed his own form of Visualized Resistance, called DVR:

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. – Dale Carnegie

Persistence is one of those qualities that some people seem to be born with, while others have to work to develop. One thing is certain, though: Persistence is crucial to your success in every important venture of life, including your quest for strength and fitness.

In your daily workout regimen, if you don’t have a can-do attitude that keeps you going even on those days when you’d rather slack off, you’re probably going to drop the ball before you enjoy any real success.
If you are not by nature persistent that’s okay; here are a few simple, positive steps you can take to turn that around:

1. Have a definite goal in mind. A goal doesn’t have to be major and hard to reach. Start with something that is easy and attainable and you’ll be more likely to carry through to higher plateaus. After all, nothing succeeds like success. Don’t try to do 500 push-ups per day, or 50 close-grip pull-ups, if you haven’t had a workout routine for 10 years. Settle on 50 or push-ups, or maybe 5 pull-ups (or 10 if you’re especially ambitious), and you’ll soon find yourself upping the ante more and more as the weeks go by.

2. Have a plan for success. In any venture, you have to have a roadmap to get where you’re going. That’s why I put together what I think (and others have told me) are three of the most concise and complete plans for losing weight, building strength, and sculpting an awesome physique—all without weights or equipment of any kind. They’re The Miracle Seven, Pushing Yourself to Power, and Isometric Power Revolution—the first three books in the Transformetrics™ Ultimate Training System series. They’ll take you where you want to go—in the least amount of time and with no detours.

3. Start with a knowledge base for success. If you want to be a good welder (a skill I’ve been told is hard to master) you have to have a base of knowledge about the metals you’re working with and how they bind together, the machinery you’re using, and the latest techniques that make for the best, most durable results. The same goes with rocket science or brain surgery: knowledge is power.
Ditto for strength and fitness. Again, the three books listed above will give you a core of great workout strategies, along with sound counsel on things like stretching, nutrition, and even some historical background. All three are packed with the knowledge you need to succeed.

4. Be enthusiastic. You’re highly unlikely to stick with something you find distasteful or tedious, so an eagerness for mastery is essential.

5. Learn self-motivation and willpower. One way to develop the will to win is to begin with small successes, and build to the larger victories.

6. Hang around those who will encourage you and keep you accountable. Having others in your corner who want you to succeed, and who’ll do everything in their power to help you to get there, is a huge plus in building persistence.

Build persistence and you’ll enjoy a lifetime of success in whatever venture you dive into. – J.P.