How do we manifest physical excellence? We look within! We are excellent by nature. Our force and presence here in this world is nothing short of miraculous! Now realizing this, what is our potential? Really, what is it? Why am I saying all of this to you now? Because - in this mindset we are capable of limitless manifestation, physical or anything else. It happens to be our actual reality; the problem is that most of us lose this along the way.

People do amazing things all the time, don't they? I find it thrilling to watch someone defy odds and explode beyond limiting barriers, don't you? Of course you do! Do you know why? Sure, maybe you're the type that enjoys watching others succeed, and if you do then I salute you. What's another reason, though? Yes, you recognize a part of yourself! Maybe it's a part that's not currently being used. If so then reclaim that power today! Find it because it's there, and harness it because you have the power to do so!

What separates the ordinary person from the extraordinary person? Mental focus! It's that simple. That is where the Michael Jordans of the world come from - deep within their own mental framework. As I've said before, the woman who climbed to the top of the mountain believed that she could! Belief is more important than the approach.

Obviously, the approach we choose is important, but if we don't think we can pull something off then forget about it, it will never happen. Belief is actually just a feeling of certainty. As the saying goes "believing is seeing," you'll believe it when you see it. When you can clearly picture yourself at the top of the mountain you start believing it's possible!

If you believe something is possible you'll then tap more of your potential. The more you utilize your potential, the greater the results you'll achieve. This all sounds very cliché, I know, but realize the simplicity of it and then realize how many of us self impose limits that reduce us in every area. Think big, dream big, and you'll live in a happier world. I'm not suggesting to be totally impractical, but don't be so reasonable! It's easy to figure out reasons for why something can't be done. We're so good at it! The real trick is to find a way to do what others think is an unreasonable or unattainable goal. There's power in doing things like that and we grow from the experience.

Figure out the "how to's" later! Set an unreasonable goal that would excite you today! Forget reason and don't be practical. Lose yourself in your dream today and pretend you are a 11-year-old at Christmas. If you could do anything, what would it be?

Since this is a fitness column, maybe create something physically outrageous in your mind. Do you want to have a shredded midsection for the first time in your life? What really juices you?! Remember that small dreams have little ability to move man.
Who do you think of when you focus on incredibly successful people? There are many for me, but one that always inevitably comes up is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Everyone knows that Arnold is awesome (where he came from, what he's done), but the more you learn of him, the more impressive he becomes. I remember reading his own biography of his early days and being blown away by the guy's creativity, focus, and individuality! He spoke of how you have to believe in yourself or you won't succeed. I thought, "hey, if you're working out right and eating right you'd get the same results no matter what you thought," but that can't be farther from the truth!

We are not the thinkers behind the thoughts, but rather, we're the thoughts that have created the thinker. You're probably thinking "oh, boy, now he's gone too far, he's losing it." Just study that first sentence again and you'll realize it's truth and relevance to our lives. The three things that Schwarzenegger attributes to his success are hard work, self confidence, and positive thinking. "What we think so we create." (I've heard that somewhere.) Rise above and claim your birthright to do and be things you might not have yet even dreamt simply by believing that you can! If you can imagine it, then you can achieve it!