Love the destination but hate the journey? Jelinek reveals the reason why most people fail at fitness!

Every January it repeats itself. The gyms are bursting at the seams. People are full of determination, they have bought season tickets, new clothes and a clear picture in their heads:

"In six months, I'll have 10 kilos less and a bunch of buns on my stomach."

Two months go by and 80% of them are gone. Why? It wasn't because they didn't have time. It wasn't even that the exercise wasn't working. The reason is much deeper and mental coach Marian Jelinek describes it exactly.

<p"><img alt="Depression in sport" src="/file/1bcdd04876ece90aa36f5a543fe54fcf/13800530/You love the goal but hate the journey This is why most people fail in fitness.png" style="width: 100%; height: 100%;" /> <p> </p> <p>His key idea is:</p> <blockquote> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><small><em>"A burnout loves the destination, but hates the journey. And it is the latter that will destroy him."</em></small></strong></p> </blockquote> <p>In the fitness world, this phrase is painfully true. If you love the idea of your skinny body (the goal) but hate lifting weights, sweating and preparing food (the journey), you've got a problem.</p> <h2>The "strong will" fitness trap</h2> <p>You often hear that it's all about discipline. That you have to bite the bullet. But Marian Jelinek warns of the dangers of <b>"<em>relying on discipline instead of joy</em>"</b> and when <b>"<em>will covers the void</em>"</b>.</p> <p>Translated into practice: If you go into a workout with resistance and watch your watch for an hour to "get it done," you're running on energy debt. Your willpower is a finite battery. You can force yourself into hated cardio for a month, maybe two. But the moment stress at work or illness strikes, your willpower runs out. And because there's no love for the movement (the journey), the whole effort collapses.</p> <p>Fitness burnout doesn't occur the moment you eat a pizza and break your diet (failure). It arises much earlier - the moment you stop enjoying what you do for your body every day.</p> <h2>How do you know you're close to breaking?</h2> <p>Jelinek says:</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><small><cite class="blockquote"><i>"The longer we ignore that we're not enjoying the journey, the faster we're approaching a breakthrough."</i></cite></small></strong></p> <p>In fitness, you'll know this easily:</p> <ul> <li>You're only exercising for "effect" (to be complimented on fitting into your swimsuit).</li> <li>Moving alone brings you no satisfaction, only pain and necessity.</li> <li>You live in "when...then" mode. (<i>If I lose weight, then I'll be happy.</i>)</li> </ul> <p>This attitude makes you a slave to your own goals.</p> </p

Change the question, change the result

Maybe now is the best time to stop counting sets and reps, and, following Marian Jelinek's advice, ask yourself a fundamental question:

"How do I feel on the way, not at the finish line?"

If your answer is "I'm struggling," you need to change something. Not the goal, but the way you're going to get there. Fitness isn't just about working hard in the gym.

• Are you tired of lifting weights? Try calisthenics, martial arts, swimming or climbing.
• Are you sick of drastic diets? Learn how to cook healthy but tasty so you look forward to eating.

The secret to long term form is not steel discipline that hurts. It's in finding an activity you love. That you fall in love with the process - the feeling of your body working, of getting stronger, of moving.

When you stop focusing spasmodically on the goal and start enjoying the journey, the results will come. And more importantly - you'll keep them.