One of the most frequent questions I have received from friends and family for a decade and, more recently, readers and listeners of The Become a Beast Podcast is, “Where do I start?”

This is a completely logical question. It applies to almost everything we don’t know or have failed at doing. “Where should I start?” This question seems so basic that, often, we overlook it and ask questions, at least regarding diet and fitness, like, “What is the best type of vegetable to eat to lose weight?” and “What is the best technique for bench pressing my own weight?” These questions are completely valid, but they are the incorrect questions to be asking…when you are starting from scratch.

From Scratch

There is no magic pill and no magic method. There’s just starting.

I know. This article is already starting to sound like all of the other ones that push you to just start doing something. By no means is that knocking other’s suggestions as they are awesome places to start your search to a new way in your life. In fact, they are each right. It basically is to start small and just start. Completely valid advice that I want to take a step further with you today.

When I start from scratch on anything that I do, I ask myself a couple of the following questions and the answers I give tell me which way to head.

What is the end, long term goal?
How will I measure/track my progress?

Both Matt and Steve, as previously noted, preach these ways too.

What I am suggesting is to focus on the method more than event.

In other words, I focused on the method versus the event of actually recording the podcast.

Why Method Over Event

Do you get high anxiety about starting something you know very little about? Cause I do.

I have had anxiety about sharing my voice in front of others for a long time. I have overcome it at times, but more often than not, it rears it’s ugly head.

A good example of this in relation to fitness is how I avoided free weights for the longest time. I didn’t want to get “in the way” of the big buff dudes lifting the free weights. At the gym I worked out at, the free weights were offset from the rest of the gym in a somewhat different room. Everyone in the gym could see the people lifting free weights, but it always felt like the “big boys” room. So, I did two things. I set my long term goal of benching 300 pounds and set a measurement chart for progress. Now, I had something pushing me in a direction and a process to make it work. Once I set the goal, I didn’t focus on the event of entering the lair of the muscle bound dudes, rather the process that was needed to achieve my goal.

The same can be said about The Become a Beast Podcast. I had super anxiety that I 1) wasn’t going to be good and 2) would have no listeners. I set a long term goal of a certain number of listeners. Then, I established a spreadsheet with certain dates and number of subscribers that I wanted at said date. After that, I established a schedule for when and how often I was to post. I set the long term goal and developed a process for reaching that goal. Well, after the success I have had with the podcast, I am glad I got over that anxiety.

This all ties back into focusing on the method over the event. I focused on a process instead of the gargantuan weightlifters in the free weight area. I focused on the goal and progress chart rather than the anxiety of actually recording of the podcast. I defeated anxiety by refocusing my efforts.

What About Everything Else

“Got ya. But how do I lift?” “Sure, but what should I eat?”

I know. You have to know what to do to actually achieve that long term goal. You’re absolutely correct. However, we often overlook the first step. Developing a method to combat the madness leads to results. Sure, you will need to do more research to achieve the steps to the end goal, but first, you need to get past the anxiety that comes with starting. That’s why the method is where you should start.

As you go about whatever goal you might have (i.e. losing weight, getting a six pack), try asking yourself the two questions:

What is the end, long term goal?
How will I measure/track my progress?

You will increase your odds of success and overcome the anxiety that lives within each of us.

Good luck.