Variables

You may feel like you are stuck where you are in every way. That what you’re doing simply isn’t working. What you are failing to do is find the things that you can change. Let’s talk about variables.

What are Variables?

Everything that happens has a set of conditions that go into making it possible. Without this combination of conditions being met, the action or state of being doesn’t happen. If you break this down into simple terms, it is no different from basic mathematics.

The classic example of algebra is A + B = C. So you have one condition or state that, when combined with another condition or state, leads to a result. This result is where you may feel stuck.

You can put forth your absolute best effort with a certain set of variables and still succeed if you’re not meeting the right conditions. For example, if you don’t sleep or eat properly, it won’t matter how “hard you try” when you lift. You won’t be able to lift as much or as heavy as if you had eaten proper meals all week and slept a full 8 hours each night.

In this case, your rest and your nutrition are two key variables in the result, ie how much you lift. We could even break this down further to find more variables: Your mental state, your lifting form, the equipment you are using, and so on.

Find the Variables

This process of locating and manipulating variables to achieve success or even just different results can and should be applied to every area of your life. It is obvious to most of us that we need to eat and sleep properly in order to function effectively in day to day life, to say nothing of high performance physical training.

It is crucial that you identify the variables of as many aspects of your life as possible, particularly your primary passions and endeavors. Clearly marking the variables in your hobbies, career, and personal life can make adjusting things significantly easier when something gives you an unexpected or undesired result.

Write them all down and see which impact each other. You may find that a single variable being adjusted can have powerful impacts across a range of areas that you didn’t fully see before. Experiment with different values in different variables, and track your results. Professional athletes do this with their training, why shouldn’t you do it with what matters to you?

What are Your Variables?

As always, I want to hear from all of you. Tell us in the comments about the variables you’ve found it your life. Tell us about what you’ve changed, and your results.