We Don’t Work THAT Hard

“This shouldn’t be that difficult,” or “I can’t believe how much more work I have to put in to get the same outcome as so-and-so” are sentiments we hear a lot as coaches. But, unfortunately, there is universal human bias based on our own experiential perception that misleads us into thinking we’re doing FAR MORE than we actually are: https://www.thecut.com/.../why-everyone-thinks-theyre...

The average screen time for Americans is over 7 hours per day every day: https://www.comparitech.com/tv-streaming/screen-time-statistics/. Is that because we work so hard? Is the 3 hours of TV watching average per day because we work so hard? We don't work that hard. The 2 billion people who have to walk up to 10 miles per day to find potable water work hard. And, actually, many of them aren't deluded into thinking they work TOO hard. That walk is precisely what it takes to keep them alive. It's simply what it takes. You walk to the faucet. I walk to the faucet. We average over 7 hours of screen time per day. There is no measure by which we can seriously claim to work THAT hard. We don't. 

As coaches, we run into this a lot with clients, and even peers. And there are genuine inequities that exist. That’s real. But certain accomplishments simply take what they take. And that has nothing to do with your opinion of the situation or your personal perception.

Body composition change has no “should” or “shouldn’t”. It’s precisely as hard as it is. Your opinion does not change the laws of physics. At some point you will indeed have to expend more energy than you bring in on a consistent basis. It doesn’t matter how hard you think you’re working. This is a physical law.

I’ve encountered friends and peers who are bragging about their hard work, but who’ve never once in their lives spent less money than they make. Opinion is meaningless. It’s a physical law. The NET outcome doesn’t work.

So be wary of comparisons focusing on hyperbole and egocentric bias. Certain outcomes require what they require. And our opinion or perception can get in the way.