Creating a Vision Without Constraint

8/20/25

I’ve seen it and done it countless times: when we go to define our vision and create our goals, we drastically underestimate what we’re capable of and as a result, put a constraint on what we’re truly capable of doing. Perhaps it’s fear, perhaps it’s the result of an embedded belief system. Either way, the limits we set on ourselves are a major detriment to our potential.

Let me tell you a story.

When I was at my highest and most unhealthy point, I weighed in around 275 pounds and would often get winded after going up stairs or taking out the trash. While I was strong in the gym, I looked and felt awful. But deep down in my heart, I knew what I wanted to accomplish and I knew what my goal was: to step foot on a competitive bodybuilding stage and not just do well, but come in the top 3 of my class in my first show.

I can vividly recall the look of disbelief and actual humor when I’d tell anyone of my goal. At that point in my life, I wouldn’t even take may shirt off at a beach or pool. But truth be told, I loved the look of competitive bodybuilders and it’s what my soul needed to do for a magnitude of reasons.

Every month, every week, every day I stuck to the plan and stuck to my truth, to what I wanted to accomplish. I had a vision so clear in my head that it’s almost like I’d already accomplished it before it ever happened. I remember passing the time doing cardio by visualizing what it’d feel like to be on the stage, holding a trophy in my hands, looking out into the crowd at the faces I knew. I pictured what it’d feel like to go backstage and know I accomplished something no one believed I could do.

There were many trials and tribulations which I’ll probably talk about somehow in future blogs, but every time I got knocked down, I’d brush myself off, remember my ‘why’ and continue on. Nothing could shake the vision I set for myself.

Eventually, I stood on the stage at the NPC Northeast Summer Classic with my third place trophy, looking out at the crowd. I’d lost around 65 pounds to get there, but what I gained through that journey was the win: understanding the value of dedication, hard work and believing that where the mind goes, the body will follow.

Set your goals with what’s true to you in your heart and understand that through a systematic approach, anything is possible.

The clearer the vision and the clearer the goal you have, the more likely you are to accomplish it. For example, look at the difference between “I want to lose a few pounds” v. “I want to lose 20 pounds of fat while increasing my muscle mass by 5 pounds in 16 weeks”.

As you sit down to define your vision, listen to your heart and identify what resonates with you most. What makes you most excited to get started? Once you land there, go a little further with it and push your mind into believing you are going to accomplish something unimaginable because the truth is, you can and you will.

Don’t let your mind fool you into only striving to hit the low hanging fruit.

Now, without hesitation, without constraints, without the opinions of others: what do