How to Build A Fire

Building your exercise habit is like building a fire. If you add wood too fast, it will suffocate the fire.

To start a fire, you create a spark to light the tinder. Add small twigs to grow the fire. Then you can add large pieces of wood to sustain it.

Most people do the opposite when they start to exercise. They want to start with a Rocky style exercise routine because it is rousing. The first week is sustained by the excitement of starting something new. Then the body starts breaking down because it is not yet able to recover fast enough from the drastic increase in workload. The body will be constantly sore and stiff. When the body is not happy, the mind is not happy. Both will tell you to stop. The wood is added too fast, and the fire fades quickly.

Instead, you should start small. The body does not need a lot of stimulus to grow. A small amount of challenge is a novel feeling that can actually be enjoyed. As your body grows, its ability to recover improves, and it will be able to cope with increase in workload. Once you start to feel the changes in your body, the mind will naturally be motivated to do more as well. Your fire gets stronger. Then you can add larger pieces of wood without suffocating it.

On the other end, without continued supply of wood, the fire will fade too. As your body grow, the same workload will start to feel easy. Without increasing the workload to find new challenge, it will start to feel boring. This will make you lose enthusiasm. You can’t sustain a large fire by feeding it small twigs.

Your enthusiasm is the the fire. Monitor its condition as life ebbs and flows, and adjust your workload accordingly for optimal growth. There is no shame in doing less, as long as you are honest with yourself. Just don't stop. Over time, it will grow into a fire that cannot be put out.