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Summary
On episode 210 of 40+ Fitness, Coach Allan turns the microphone on himself, recorded the day before his 51st birthday, to talk through the stress and anxiety he puts on himself trying to run 40+ Fitness and Forever Fitness while chasing a perfectionist standard.
He admits to comparing himself and his on-camera demonstrations to younger fitness professionals online, and walks through the self-talk that pulled him out of it: stop comparing, remember it is a journey and not a destination, deliberately seek joy, and stay anchored to his why.
It is a more personal, reflective episode than usual, meant as much for Allan to work through as for the listener to take something from.
Links
- https://40plusfitness.com
Key Takeaways
- Comparing yourself to others is a losing game. There will always be someone better, bigger, or stronger, so Allan says the only person worth competing against is yourself, the idea behind his hashtag Better Me Tomorrow.
- This is a journey, not a destination. Allan reminds himself that a setback, a bad demonstration video, or time off is a detour, not the end of the road, and that he is never finished improving.
- Seeking joy deliberately is part of managing stress. After months of heavy work, Allan started protecting time for trips, races, and even a full day unplugged from his computer, treating rest as recovery rather than a luxury.
- Staying anchored to your why keeps perfectionism in check. Allan’s why is his wife, children, and future grandchildren; being able to do a burpee is not about looking like a fitness model, it is about being able to get on the floor and play with his grandkids.
- Perfectionism and self-inflicted stress are Allan’s own “boogeyman.” He describes wanting to do everything well and quickly as a double-edged sword that cuts him even as it drives him.
- What you see online is a curated “Facebook face,” not someone’s whole life. Most people present their best moments, not their bad days, so measuring yourself against someone else’s highlight reel is measuring against a version of them that is not fully real.
- Nobody is exempt from bad days, including the coach. Allan says explicitly that he has good days and bad days just like everyone else, and that recognizing this is the starting point for easing self-criticism.
“It’s me versus me and not me versus them.”
Coach Allan
