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Summary
On episode 576 of 40+ Fitness, Coach Allan asks whether you’re actually capable of changing your health and fitness, and walks through the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.
Allan argues that most people who feel stuck aren’t short on genetics or willpower, they’re carrying self-limiting beliefs left over from somebody, a coach, a gym class, a bad season, once telling them they weren’t enough. Those beliefs calcify into a fixed mindset that reads every setback as proof you can’t, instead of feedback on what you haven’t learned yet.
He walks listeners through a journaling exercise: list what you’re good at and bad at and why, separate fact from opinion, then rewrite false statements as present-tense affirmations, partially true ones with “often” instead of “always,” and genuine struggles with the word “yet” attached.
Links
- https://40plusfitness.com
Key Takeaways
- A fixed mindset treats ability as innate; a growth mindset treats it as buildable. “I’m just not good at running” is a fixed mindset statement. Believing any capacity can improve with sustained effort is a growth mindset, and it’s the one that actually gets health and fitness goals accomplished.
- Fixed mindsets read setbacks as identity, not information. Failing at something becomes proof you’re simply not capable, rather than a sign you haven’t yet developed the skill or knowledge needed.
- A simple journaling exercise separates fact from self-limiting belief. Write freely about what you’re good at and not good at and why, then go back and highlight only the statements that are actually facts, everything else is opinion dressed up as fact.
- Words like “never,” “always,” and “can’t” flag self-limiting beliefs. They’re especially suspect when they blame a fixed trait, genetics, willpower, laziness, instead of a circumstance that can change.
- Completely false statements should be rewritten as present-tense affirmations. “I’m not disciplined” becomes “I am disciplined in all aspects of my life that I make a priority,” because most people already show discipline somewhere, they just haven’t applied it here yet.
- Partially true statements get reframed with “often” instead of “always,” plus a plan. “I always make excuses to skip workouts” becomes “I often make excuses, but if I remind myself why I have to do it, I will.”
- Statements that are genuinely still a struggle get the word “yet” attached. “I haven’t been able to overcome this yet, but I’m working on it” keeps the door open instead of closing it, which is the whole point of a growth mindset.
- Capability is less about natural talent than about persistence and asking for help. Allan’s own story, going from the smallest kid cut from the football team to a starting lineman who could step in and play quarterback, illustrates that showing up, paying attention, and refusing to quit beats raw talent over time.
“If you think you can’t, you’re right. If you think you can, you’re right.”
Coach Allan
Another Episode You May Enjoy
Episode 593 – Use psychology and neuroscience to break through to better health with Satyen Raja
Episode Notes
Podcast: 40+ Fitness
Episode: 576
Published: 2023-02-07
Host: Allan Misner (aka Coach Allan), author of The Wellness Roadmap
Guest(s): —, our co-host, Coach Rachel
Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Spotify · YouTube (audio only)