Do you play any musical instruments?

When I was younger I took drum lessons and was in the drum line in high school. I started my infatuation with drums at an early age, joining the band in 7th grade.

As my skills improved, I realized that some of the more challenging songs would give me the same problem.

My teacher would tell me to play the song. I'd sound great in the beginning, would stumble over the middle, and then would finish out sounding great again.

He'd tell me to try it again. I'd play it from the beginning and repeat the same pattern.

Then, he told me something that didn't really resonate at the time...

The part I was struggling with - he told me to play only that segment over and over again. Not to play the beginning or the end... just the part I was struggling with. Then go back and play it all the way through. 

I'm sure I rolled my eyes and nodded along.

But I never took his advice.

Fast forward a couple of decades.

And my fitness journey mirrored the exact same thing.

I would start a program, do really well in the beginning. I'd binge or go off the rails in the middle. Then I'd finish out doing well again.

Kinda' reminds me of the cleanse I attempted when I was 300+lbs. 

And then I'd start the song all over again from the beginning.

Or I'd start playing a completely new song with the same pattern.

Start out doing well. Sabotage myself in the middle. Get back to being perfect. Then start the song all over again.

The part in the middle is everything.

It's the key to being able to play beautiful music.

My part in the middle was always binge eating, sabotage, too much soda, stress eating, and lack of patience.

I never worked on the part in the middle.

I just skipped over it and kept playing.

Which is why I never reached my goals.

You may be stuck in the same pattern.

Struggling with the part in the middle. But not practicing it because that's the hardest part.

It could be similar to my part in the middle or it may be something totally different that keeps tripping you up.

Either way, the part in the middle is where the magic happens.

It may be poor coping mechanisms. Poor stress management. Overindulging. Perfectionist tendencies. Self sabotage. Emotional eating. Negative self talk. Guilt and shame around food.

The list goes on.

Only you know your part in the middle.

If you keep playing over it, you'll keep finding yourself back at the beginning of the song, wondering why you can't play all the way through.

For those of you who actually know how to play a musical instrument...

The reason you improved is because you just kept playing and you just kept practicing.

You mastered the part in the middle.

Now, we simply need to take that same approach with our fitness and nutrition.

So.. what is your part in the middle?

What is the thing that you keep stumbling over?

What is your frequent setback?

That's the thing we need to practice and improve before we start playing the song from the beginning.

This is something I'm going to be sharing in our challenge.

I'm going to teach you how to play the part in the middle.

It's going to stretch you. It's going to make you uncomfortable.

But it's also going to result in your ability to play beautiful music.

If you're ready for that kind of work, then join us in the challenge.

Let's make this symphony happen. :)

Join the challenge here.

Later,

Mikey

PS - the subject of this email is "my favorite song" but I don't actually have one. Which I find strange. It depends on my mood. How can I pick just one?? Do you have a favorite song of all time? If so, hit reply and let me know what it is!