[quote]Professor X wrote:
mrw173 wrote:
Professor X wrote:
mrw173 wrote:
The important questions would really be the type like what factors are associated with doing well vs. doing poorly.
You know, I get the “science doesn’t tell us crap” arguments when an article like that gets posted on here, but learning what controls behavior like successful dieting is something critical to just about everyone on here.
While environment and peers can affect it, in the end you control your own behavior. The factors associated with doing well?
-motivation
-consistency
-a goal for personal achievement
When someone doesn’t go to class and gets kicked out of college as a result, there is no secret as to why they didn’t succeed. It is no different here.
People are lazy. They won’t even stick to a program when it is part of a study that might get published. It is the same reason most kids are now overweight. Why go outside when the X-Box is right there?
You have people who are “content” and will watch their bodies slowly degrade as a result, and you have those who are constantly pushing to do or be better. You can’t give that mindset to someone. They bring it to the table themselves.
I don’t disagree with anything in your post.
That being said, what is responsible for the things that you mentioned, like motivation, consistency, and goals? I didn’t just wake up one day motivated to lift weights.
I don’t necessarily disagree with the “some people have it, and some people don’t” type of argument, but I do think the things you mentioned are changeable as well.
I’m glad you asked that because I was about to make a thread on the topic.
Your life experiences are primarily responsible for your motivation. This is one reason we need to put an end to the mentality that children need to be sheltered from any and all negative criticism.
Would I have pushed as hard in school or in the gym had I been told that everything I did was perfect from the start? Doubtful. I pushed hard because I saw areas that NEEDED improvement. Someone who hits their peak in high school may not be as motivated to make any changes at all.
A grown adult has their basic character set in stone and is much less likely to change if they have lived that way for 30+ years. There is still hope for the little brats under the age of 18 who are being told they get a gold star just for showing up to class.
If you want a country filled with pasty whining weak apathetic assholes, keep raising kids like it’s ok to be really fat and that any effort at all deserves praise.
If you want a country filled with fighters who are constantly working on improvement, you don’t hesitate to show them where they are coming up short (within reason) and you quit praising the slightest effort.
Take a look at the RMP forum and tell me which group makes up the majority today.
You would almost think someone planned this on a mass scale…[/quote]
Completely agree. Good post.