Physical fitness has always been a huge part of my life.

It started back in Year 8:

When my P.E teacher at the time Mr. Davis got me and a few friends to lift in the gym early in the mornings.

• We would write out our 12 week programmes, implement our exercises for the week in a push/pull/legs split.

• Wake up at 7am most mornings and get the workouts done.

• Finish off with a protein shake and talk all things fitness

Looking back, these were times of immense growth.

But not without struggle.

I remember my first bench press attempt - my weak teenage frame trying to push 50kg above my head. With people spotting either side.

Fast forward to today, where I feel completely in control.

It came with a lot of time and a lot of iteration to get there.

I realising the benefits of lifting heavy weights and eating good food had on your mental and physical capacities.

I felt better, the soreness my body was feeling was almost a badge of honour you carry around, knowing you put the work in.

Since then, I haven't stopped investing my time and energy into bettering my performance.

I got slowly exposed to the fitness and health world and tried all different avenues.

I've tried different training types:

- HIIT

- Yoga

- Pilates

- Fartlek

- CrossFit

- Circuit Training

I've tried every fad diet possible:

- Keto diet

- Carnivore diet

- Plant-based diet

- A 72 Hour Fasting

- Intermittent fasting

High carb, no carb, high fat, low fat, 5 meals a day. 1 meal a day.

All throughout a span of 5 years. I've come to the realisation which is pretty simple:

Only to come to the realisation. To resort back to the old school, the tried and trusted stuff. Simplify the basics. Lift heavy weights. Eat a low-processed diet.

All the time spending time going from one diet to the next, carnivore to keto, HIIT workouts to long runs has shown me it comes down to having consistency of routine.

Trial and experimentation is key, but all ways looking for the next shortcut and the next 'new thing' is a concept I've recently learnt in a book I've read 'Mastery by George Leonard'

This is The Dabbler.

Introducing The Dabbler

A definition:

"A dabbler on the path to mastery refers to someone who engages in various activities or pursuits without committing to deep or sustained effort in any particular field. Dabblers may sample different skills, interests, or hobbies, often moving from one to another without investing the time and dedication needed to achieve a high level of proficiency or mastery."

THE MODERN WORLD ENCOURAGES THE DABBLER IN US

There is too much choice.

As an experiment, just go into the milk aisle in your local supermarket and you'll understand what I'm talking about.

The modern world has given us a vast amount of things to choose from we really don't have a clue what is best for us in this moment in time.

The amount of times in my own life I will go onto Netflix and spent nearly a duration of a film decided what to watch, only to come off and not watch anything after all.

When the number of choices increases, so does the difficulty of knowing what is best.

Instead of increasing our freedom to have what we want, the paradox of choice suggests that having too many choices actually limits our freedom.

Learning to choose is hard. Learning to choose well is harder.

3 Real-life examples

1.The Serial Entreprenuer:

In a world where Entrepreneurs are praised in society. The person known for starting up a new project or a new business every few months. Not giving enough time to see progress in the intial domain.

2. The Career-Hopper:

Switches careers every year or two, exploring various fields such as marketing, graphic design, IT, and teaching. While they gain a broad range of experiences, they struggle to advance in any one field, often starting from scratch in each new role.

3. The “Do-It-Yourself” Home Improver:

A homeowner who starts various DIY home improvement projects - from kitchen renovations to backyard landscaping - but never fully completes or perfects any of them, leading to a series of half-finished projects.

Become A Master

A master in any field is someone who has achieved a high level of expertise, skill, and knowledge in a specific area. This status is often the result of dedicated study, practice, and experience over an extended period. The characteristics of a master typically include:

Deep Knowledge and Expertise

You see people who are masters of their craft. Let's take David Beckham for example:

A global figure, a celebrity icon and a national hero.

A multi-millionaire. Owns and Awarded an MBE for his services. He has sought after recognition and influence. He is one of the most famous and well- connected men on the planet.

This, I truly believe. Comes down to him mastering the art of set piece deliveries and crosses.

He honed this skill with constant repetition for years and years. A famous video of him practicing and missing free kicks here.

Learn. Guide. Apply.

1. Learn

Immersing yourself in deep learning. Dedicate a lot of your time to learning core skills that you can use as a supplement to your expertise. I talk more about this in this article here.

2. Guide

Finding a mentor or coach who is an expert in your area of interest, is crucial for getting immediate feedback and being held accountable to stay the path.

Consider consultancy services, like the ones I offer here, for personalised advice and tailored strategies to enhance your learning and performance. (limited to an intake of 5 currently)

3. Apply

Information intake is not learning. Experience is needed.

Your skills need to be applied in real-world situations and continuously seek ways to improve.

This involves staying updated with the latest trends in your field, teaching others to deepen your understanding, and regularly evaluating and adjusting your approach based on your progress and feedback received.

(P.s. Here's one great thing I watched this week:)

I hope you enjoy!

https://youtu.be/uM-MqsWjQd4?si=mgRQVhKwO_3pRHdl