Today at the gym, there was a 38-year-old man sitting at the bench next to me. In all fairness, I would have thought he was much younger if he didn’t tell me. When I first noticed him, I saw that he was “only” lifting 4 kg dumbbells. I thought surely he can lift more than that? Anyway, I continued with my set and then noticed he was trying to get one of the personal trainers attention. Unlucky for him he didn’t see him. Then I addressed he had a walking chair in front of him. I quickly went over to the trainer and said the man over there would like to speak with him.
After a few minutes the 38-year-old man look at me and said thank you very much and next thing you he told me his whole life story. Not only that he used to sit in a wheelchair 1 year ago, but he has two conditions, MS and another I didn’t quite catch. He was on and on about how much he used to lift, how much he could lift now and where he wanted to be. He was so excited to tell me, a complete stranger about his achievements and goal. I was frankly amazed by him.
And it got me thinking we all make excuses to go to the gym, even me, who loves going to the gym can come up with a “clever” excuse now and again. It’s absolutely nothing wrong about that as long as it only happens a few times, and not every time.
But this 38-year-old man was sitting there doing as many sets and reps as he could. Because he had a goal, he wanted to do and he wanted to succeed. He said to me that it was his son who got him back in the gym, it was his son that inspired him. And as easy as that, this 38-year-old man inspired me.
There is sometimes so little effort to be made to make a huge difference in someone’s life, with just a few words and you can motivate and inspire people in a powerful way.
Dina Celina 