Motivation Monday With Cory Wharton: Play Like You’re in First, Train Like You’re in Second

Basketball is played above the rim, but if you want to soar with the eagles, you have to start with your feet. It’s Motivation Monday, and I’ve always been amazed by Steph Curry. He’s not the biggest or the strongest, so how did he change the entire game of basketball? When Steph goes out on the court, he doesn’t play basketball—he celebrates basketball.

When Curry said “Play like you’re in first,” to me that means you go out there and contribute more than anyone else on your team. You play like a winner. You make the smart move, take the smart shot, and give more than anyone else in the game. In order to give the most, you have to find the right motivation for working out harder than anyone else.

“Train like you’re in second” means there’s always at least one person left to beat. The truth is, there’s always someone better out there. Even if you’re the best in the world, there is a better version of you waiting in the future. I’m always in second place to the better version of me, so I have to train smarter and harder. This is why MotivationMonday is important.

Where You Finish Depends on When You Begin

I have a lot of responsibilities. I’m a father of a beautiful little girl, and I have another child on the way. It’s easy to lose focus because there are so many important things that absolutely have to be done. Consequently, Motivation Monday is all that much more important.

Success demands that you don’t waste time. If you want to finish on top, you have to get started early. Motivational quotes inspire me to work harder.

“Success is not an accident. Success is a choice.” – Steph Curry 

I choose to succeed, so that means I choose to be motivated. I don’t want to settle for second place, so that means my training has to be better than anyone who is in front of me. If I were to wake up on Monday and skip my workout because I had a rough night, that puts me a full day behind literally everyone else.

I love motivational wall art. In order to feel like a winner, your house has to look the part, too, so I make my house as beautiful and as inspirational as possible.

Turning Things Up: 5 Ways to Stay Motivated on Mondays

Write it Down

If you are serious about your goals, write them down. Be clear about where you are, where you are going, and how you are going to get there. Every personal trainer and coach will tell you to record your work. If you write your goals at the top of your log, then you will always have them in front of you. Keep your eye on the ball!

Tell Two People

When you set important goals, you should find two people you trust and respect and let them know what you are doing. They will help you stay on track.

Clear Your Plate

I have a little girl, and I would do anything for her, but if I were to take her to the gym with me, I would not accomplish much in my workouts. Reorganize your schedule so that, when it’s time to work on your personal fitness, you can stay laser-focused on your goals.

Plan Ahead to Avoid Traps

We all have a guilty pleasure that can become a roadblock to our fitness success. We also know when we are lying to ourselves. Be realistic about your goals. Look at where you are, look at who you are, and then look at what you want to accomplish. If you find yourself in a negative health cycle or trapped in a bad habit, look at yourself in the mirror and say, “Alright, how are you going to try to get out of this one?” Be honest with your answers.

Better yet, plan ways to avoid your known weaknesses. If you know what has the potential to get in your way, you can plan strategies to overcome those hurdles before they knock you off your game.

Reward Yourself

This is probably the most important step. You are supposed to be your biggest cheerleader and your best friend, so when you get a victory, celebrate! But don’t overdo it. Make sure your celebration is the same size as your victory, or maybe a little smaller so that you’re still hungry for the next win.

Once you get warmed up and in the right frame of mind, you have to get serious and turn things up. You have to be realistic and not let your excitement get out of hand. Ask yourself, “Where am I in my routine, and what do I need to do to level up?”

Motivation Monday Will Keep Your Eye on the Target

I try not to let it happen, but sometimes I gain unwanted pounds and get discouraged. When that happens, it’s important to find the right motivation for weight loss.

“The more years I go, the more experience I have, the more that nutrition and eating the right foods is important for recovery and things like that.” – Steph Curry

I can’t stress how important it is to eat right. Everyone who is successful will say the same thing: if you want to maximize your gains, you have to eat the right foods, and you have to eat them at the right times. When you eat can be as important as what you eat, so be sure to make an intelligent nutrition plan.

You can’t become the best version of yourself overnight. It’s a process. And that process requires you to focus on the now. Your process may be similar to mine, but you must customize your process to your specific needs Find the right motivational theory for you and create your own system for success.

Create the Perfect Day

There are no perfect people, but there are perfect days. Make Monday perfect, because if you do that, then your whole week just might be golden.

How are you going to own Motivation Monday? Write your plan down now and tell me about it on Instagram.