As I write this, I want to tell you something worth noting —I like to zig when everyone else zags. That’s just how I see the world. If the crowd goes one way, I want to explore the other. And that’s precisely why VSC exists—to do things differently, push past the norm, and create an environment where people use their gym membership, not just pay for it. I know, WEIRD, RIGHT? But it is true!
I get it—life is busy. I’ve got a young family, two dogs that are a handful, and a toddler who ensures I don’t get anything done without a challenge. I live the same kind of life you do. And yet, it’s because of that chaos—not despite it—that I train, read, write and get a lot done in the day! As Ryan Holiday puts it in The Obstacle Is the Way, the hard things forge us.
Most gyms count on people signing up and never showing up. But not here. I want you to train so much that you wear out the equipment, sweat all over the floor, and make me clean up after you. Because the more you push yourself, the better you become. The harder you train, the stronger you get—not just physically but mentally.
This post is about—helping you train more, progress, and ultimately, live the better life you deserve. So, let’s get into it!
Step 1. Start By Setting a Higher Standard for Yourself
Most people set the bar way too low. They sign up for the gym with good intentions, but life gets in the way. Suddenly, “I’ll go tomorrow” becomes a week, then a month, and before they know it, they’re ghosting their own goals.
Not you. Not anymore.
Here is where it starts. You’re already paying for this membership, so why not show up like you own the place? Set a higher standard for yourself. Decide that you’re the kind of person who trains consistently, pushes your limits, and doesn’t make excuses. This isn’t about motivation—it’s about identity. Who do you want to be? The person who shows up, or the person who lets another month slip away?
Personally, I identify as the kind of person who gets up early, works out often, doesn’t drink dairy milk, and is a savoury person who spends way too much time and money reading books. You clearly identify that going to the gym is essential; otherwise, you wouldn’t have a gym membership to use. So all you have to do now is add to your repetiteur that you are a ‘gym user’, and you are there.
When you change the narrative and expect more from yourself, you start getting more out of yourself.
Step 2. It Is Just Psychology With A Mix Of Physiology.
Let’s talk about why it’s hard to show up sometimes.
There’s a mental battlefield in your head, and your brain is built to take the easy way out. This is where something called the Overton Window comes in. It’s a concept from political science that describes what’s considered normal or acceptable in a society. But guess what? You have your own personal Overton Window when it comes to training or the decisions that we make day to day.
Right now, if skipping workouts is within your “normal” window, your brain will keep reinforcing that habit. But if you start shifting that window—making training your new normal consistently—you reinforce positive behaviour instead. Every time you train, instead of skipping, you rewire your brain.
This happens in the Anterior Midcingulate Cortex (AMC), a part of the brain that helps with motivation, discipline, and effort-based decision-making. Think of it like a muscle—the more you push positive behaviours when you feel like giving in to negative ones, the stronger it gets. This is literally a thing! Google it!
So when you go to the gym and workout, you’re not just building muscle in the gym—you’re building the muscle of showing up, pushing through, and becoming more disciplined. And that’s a strength that translates into every area of life.
To make this personal again, I found this to be the same as creating content for you when I started. I always found a way to find a reason not to write the answers to the questions I was being asked, but now I can’t stop. Thanks to flexing the AMC a few extra times around creating content, it is not only a thing that gets done. I do it all the time, sometimes when I shouldn’t, to positively reinforce this behaviour. You can 100% do the same with exercise and using your membership. If you ask yourself whether that has been the case in the past, you will probably find the answer is yes. You are de-conditioned to make the right decisions and conditioned to make a different choice. Start training your decision-making and change everything about your habits.
Step 3. Don’t Wait to Be Reactive—Be Proactive
Too many people treat their health like a fire alarm—they only act when there’s an emergency. They wait until they’re in pain until their energy is gone until they’re unhappy, and then they decide to do something about it.
You, however, are going to be proactive.
Take control now instead of waiting for problems to force you into action. Train before you feel like you need it. Build strength before life demands it. Move well before your body forces you to care.
The more you develop positive behaviours toward yourself, the more you develop positive relationships with yourself. You start trusting yourself. You start seeing yourself as someone who follows through. And that changes everything—not just in fitness but also in how you approach work, relationships, and life itself.
My ex-wife used to tell me that life wasn’t a fairytale, that we have to be happy with what we have and stop chasing dreams and settle. Ever since the day she left my life, I decided never to settle for mediocrity again. I’m not saying we should get away from our spouses; she did that for me, so it’s ok. But we need to realise that comfort, mediocrity, and just not taking the risk to keep growing and developing are not the way forward for any human being.
Being proactive in our life pursuits will make us stronger physically, emotionally, and mentally, and waiting to react might be too late to claw back. Don’t do that. The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, but the second best time is now!
Be Proactive about your life and what you get from out and out of it!
The Bottom Line Is This
You’re already paying for your gym membership—why not use it to change your life?
- Set a higher standard for yourself.
- Rewire your brain by reinforcing positive behaviour.
- Stop being reactive—take control of your health, happiness, and pursuit of the extraordinary. Mediocrity SUCKS!
I want to see you here sweating, grinding, making a mess, and making progress. That’s why VSC exists—to help you become more.
So let’s make this the year you don’t just pay for a membership—you use it. See you on the gym floor.