Master Your Mind, Master Your Physique – Part 4: Your Self Image

Your self-image is formed by your own thoughts and beliefs, this is your reality of yourself as you perceive it to be true. Your Reticular Activating System sets you up for success by allowing you to see more that you did before to help you maintain to assimilate to the reality of what you perceive to be your self-image.

Think about the last time you got into the best shape of your life. I’d bet you had a strong self-image of yourself in great physical shape, am I right?

Let’s take the classic shredding for a festival or a holiday scenario. It might seem a bit cliché but bugger me drunk its effective. You have a clear vision of the physique you want to achieve and that’s enough to push you past previous boundaries that results in an improved physique.

Let’s take Steve for example, he’s gotten in & out of shape quite a few times in the past. Steve’s problem is that he needs to create a strong self-image in his mind that will work long term rather than short term.

Sure, he might get semi-jacked before a labs trip to the Gold Coast but that’s soon lost a few weeks post vacation. Yes, here Steve’s self-image and associated daydreaming has helped him push through a previous plateau. But what were really looking for here is long term sustained improvement in our physique.

Having a positive & defined self-image of your physique, and then replaying this self-image is a very powerful tool to achieve your ideal physique. It’ll help you be a better version of yourself.

Application time! 

This is where I want those of you playing at home to take a few minutes to yourself.

Go lay down somewhere comfy and actually think about how you perceive yourself. What is your self-image of your physique? What does your self-talk sound when you’re thinking about your physique? What are you assimilating to?

Then I want you to imagine your ideal physique. Imagine how nice it would be to attain and sustain that. The satisfaction you’ll get, the change in your life style & how you feel about yourself.

Now note down what comes to mind, it just needs to be the main keywords (e.g. jacked, lean, BF%, abs etc) & what the resulting emotions are that you feel from achieving this (e.g. feeling proud, feeling sexy etc)

Zac’s Tip 1 – You want to be in a relaxed & creative induced environment. For me my creative moments come from smoking a little weed, it widens my creative lens. This might not be for you but I bet you know of a way to get your creative juices flowing. Whatever does this for you I suggest you use it to empower yourself through this process.

Zac’s Tip 2 – Our brain works in 2 modes (creating and editing) so when noting down what your ideal physique is and the associated emotions just write it all out without stopping/slowing down to edit it or fix spelling mistakes. There’s time for that later & we do not want to interrupt the creative process!