Before we begin, let me clarify something. This piece has absolutely nothing to do with the swooning lyrics of “Ain’t that a kick in the head”, made famous by Dean Martin. It’s about a very different kind of kick to the head …
I’m referring to a passage from Dan Brown’s fast-paced thriller, “The Secret of Secrets”. This book by the legendary American author blends science, history, and human belief into one gripping narrative. I have barely begun reading this 671-page novel, yet I’m already mesmerised. It has left me with a renewed sense of wonder about the brain and its extraordinary, limitless potential.
The scientific facts in the book are mind-blowing! Did you know that the human brain contains around 86 billion neurons forming hundreds of trillions of connections? That means that if our memories were stored on DVDs and stacked, the pile could rise kilometres into the sky …
Amazing, isn’t it?! But imagine for a moment, that towering stack representing your thoughts — every belief, every memory, every silent sentence you have ever whispered to yourself. Somewhere in that collection are the thoughts that built your courage and your strength, but also the ones filled with doubt, fear, and quiet negativity. The question is not whether those discs exist — the real question is: how many floors of that skyscraper have you allowed them to occupy?
… On page 122 of “The Secret of Secrets”, one of the characters, Dr Katherine Solomon, a celebrated academic, refers to “sudden savant syndrome”, which in simple terms means “a kick to the head …”
Solomon relates that, in 2016, Reuben Nsemoh, a 16-year-old American boy, was kicked in the head during a soccer game, fell into a coma, and woke up speaking perfect Spanish. In 2006, a middle-aged man, Derek Amato, dove into a pool, hit his head, and woke up a musical genius and virtuoso pianist.
I don’t want to get into the details of how unlikely and almost impossible these rare cases of medical curiosities sound. I’m also not implying that I’m wishing to fall off a ladder, bump my head, be unconscious for a while, and wake up with a rating of seven in Padel!
No, what struck me was simply this inspiring thought: we do not need an accident to awaken possibility — sometimes we simply need a jolt of new thinking, new learning, and the courage to challenge what we believe our limits to be!
That’s why I also chose the brain, and its enormous potential, as the theme for our motivational video of Week Three in our New Year Challenge. And that’s also specifically why we believe it’s important to incorporate activities such as reading motivational messages, watching inspirational clips, being attentive, and hunting for quotes in these fitness challenges.
Physical fitness is only one part of being truly strong. Just as the body needs exercise to stay capable, the mind needs mental workouts to stay sharp, flexible and resilient. When our members sign up for a fitness challenge, they soon realise there are two “workouts” taking place — the physical one in class, and the mental one that happens the rest of the day. The workouts build muscle, but the mental alertness strengthens the mind. Both matter.
If fitness were purely physical, every person who bought leggings would be an athlete. If success were purely physical, every person with a planner would be disciplined. We train our glutes at least three times a week; we need to train our thoughts too.
I know the brain isn’t a muscle. It doesn’t have biceps. It doesn’t flex in the mirror. However, it does something far more powerful. It decides. It decides whether you hit snooze, it decides whether you show up, and it decides whether you quit.
Henry Ford once said: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” That’s not poetry. That’s neurology! We don’t fail because our legs give out. We fail because our thoughts do.
I can’t help but smile about this whole “kick-to-the-head” business. As a fitness trainer, I often silently think how I would love to give a few members a small kick to the head. Not a real one, of course. Just a mental one! One that makes them believe: “Yes, I can do this!”
I can almost picture myself standing at the door with a tiny, imaginary “mind-kick stamp”: “Stamp! Motivation activated! Stamp! Excuses cancelled!” Because, you see, the difficult part of being a fitness instructor is that we can guide the workouts, cheer the effort, and play the music — but the decision to believe in your own potential happens in your own head.
And, just like you, we as trainers often need our own kicks to the head, too. And, hah, I can tell you one thing! I have had my fair share of metaphorical kicks from my members! “Mirna, the Challenge letter is too long!” “Mirna, we know longer enjoy the Challenges as it is”, “Mirna, we don’t like sharing the video clips to our status …” etc, etc, etc. Mostly, these kicks have woken me up, forced me to rethink, guided me in a better direction, and kept me on my toes!
Fitness, success, discipline … All of it begins in that invisible space between our ears. That’s the real six-pack! As the Canadian motivational speaker and author Robin Sharma recently said: “Everything is created twice; first in the mind, and then in reality.” (If you are a Challenge member, please send Mirna this quote of Sharma before Wednesday 20.00.)
…Your brain is not a passive passenger. It’s a prediction machine! Neuroscientists have shown that the brain physically rewire itself based on repeated thought — they call it neuroplasticity. Every time you think, “I can’t”, you strengthen that pathway. Every time you think, “Let’s try”, you build another.
Two people can do the same workout. One walks out thinking: “That was hard. I’m not made for this.” The other walks out thinking: “That was hard. Next time will be easier.” Same sweat. Different story. Your belief about your limits matters more than your limits.
…I have witnessed hundreds of beautiful “kick-to-the-head-stories” in our studio. I see mind shifts about limitations every day! I see women who arrive doubting themselves, and leave standing taller, not because their waistlines changed, but because their beliefs did.
The greatest transformations are never only physical. They begin the moment someone quietly decides: “I’m not that person who quits anymore.”
…Every breakthrough begins with a mental jolt. So, consider this your official and loving kick to the head. Not to shame you. Not to pressure you. But to wake you. Your success is not hiding in a harder workout. It’s hiding in a stronger thought.
You have the power to choose your actions and trailblaze a brand-new path! Get your mind on track, and the rest will follow!
Yours in fitness
Mirna
082 779 0507