Mental Qualities For Successful Muscle Building

Much has been about the practical side of muscle building – the different exercises, the programs, the protocols and diet. Not so much has been written about the mental side of building muscle. It seems some people just have the mental game down pat, whilst others struggle with it. You will soon find without having certain mental qualities (you can attain them) it’s very unlikely you will achieve consistent results from your training, or come close to fulfilling your goals. In fact, bodybuilding is in some ways far more mental than anything else – it’s what makes you turn up at the gym and continue, even when you don’t feel like it or seem to be going nowhere. In this article we’ll address some of the key mental qualities required to be successful.

Dedication

Where would anyone be without dedication? Dedication doesn’t mean banging your head against a brick wall by repeating the same old stuff that just isn’t working – it means being prepared to take the rough with the smooth, to take failure on the chin and have another go, perhaps trying a different way. Dedication is at the core of every success, and it’s the most important attribute you can cultivate.

Humility

Everybody wants to be the best, or better than they currently are – it’s what drives us to new levels of achievement; but the key word there is achievement. Egotistical people want everyone to believe they’re better than they really are, even if it’s not real. The humble person is the one who tries to make it real. Be that person – and make it real. Don’t become the person who has to drag someone else down to make themselves look better; that makes you a loser. Encourage others (your training partners, competitors, etc.) to be the best they can be, too – and still try to beat them. Everyone wins, then.

Plus, when you’re humble, you’ll know your own limitations and won’t take stupid risks which could cause permanent injuries and you won’t quit because your results aren’t satisfying your ego, either.

Preparedness

Fail to prepare, and prepare to fail. Don’t turn up at the gym and dabble at this and that – have a plan beforehand and stick to it as much as possible. The same applies to your diet. If you run around like a headless chicken you’ll soon feel like quitting out of frustration because everything always seems to be up in the air and stressful and you’ll end up spinning your wheels. Make things easier on yourself and you’ll feel much more relaxed and focused and the bodybuilding ‘lifestyle’ won’t become a burden, and you’ll make more consistent progress.

It’s not just about preparing your routine and diet, either. It’s about preparing yourself mentally before you train, and before every lift. Prepare your mind to lift that weight and conjure as much positive imagery as possible to make it happen. No negative thoughts – even if you underperform.

Willingness to research and experiment

Some people just don’t like change. They’ll stick with the same old stuff ‘till doomsday. For some it’s laziness, for others it’s the fear of maybe not getting the results they’d hoped for by changing something which worked well previously. Well, snap out of it, now – because muscle building is a game of change, and if you aren’t willing to regularly change pretty much everything it involves (including reps, sets, volume, exercises and tempo) then your progress will be severely stunted. Plus, you’ll get very bored very quickly by doing the same old stuff week in week out. Regular change is a huge psychological boost which makes your training more and more exciting as you learn more. Embrace change wholeheartedly.

Educate yourself

Your education didn’t start at school, and it certainly doesn’t end with school. You learn for as long as you live, and to get the best out of anything you have to know the game inside out. Read articles, pick up books, check out various studies and learn all you can to build up a good picture of what you need to do and know. I guarantee you that nobody knows everything, and the most successful people are usually the ones which are also the most well-read and intelligent.