My trainer in the gym used to tell me, “the easiest workout was the one you did yesterday.” He got a lot of great results with my body, but my mind struggled because I wasn’t able to mentally propel myself by feeling the wins. I never felt like I was getting stronger.
He achieved some really great results with my physique, but I only appreciated them in hindsight when I looked at the pictures. Even though my body had never been that lean or muscular in my life, I didn’t notice or appreciate it at the time.
This has always been a bit of a puzzle for me, his knowledge of the human body was so far superior to mine that he could tell we were winning, but I never felt like I was.
When we borrow someone’s knowledge to help us achieve a goal, we need to make sure we have our own checks and balances built in. It builds longevity in us, but it also keeps us motivated.
Growth and progression are highly motivating, but we are responsible for finding a way to recognize it in ourselves. Paying attention to and celebrating the nuance about what you can do now but couldn’t do before is important. Without it we will never see greatness within ourselves even if we are surpassing our goals and expectations.