Now that’s not the kind of modeling I’m talking about here. It doesn’t hurt to have a picture of a gorgeous woman though.. Behavioral modeling is a technique developed to replicate the achievements of high level performers. It means observing the technicalities of their competence, creating a model of that behavior and teaching it. For example, if you follow the exact steps someone took to achieve a certain thing, you will achieve it too.
Now the catch is that most pros are at a level of unconscious competence. This means that they know how to do certain things, but neither can break them down in explainable form, nor can they teach them.
Here is an example. A badminton player used to come to the gym where I trained. When we asked her to explain specifics about the way she plays the game, she said that you just do it. The girl declared that we were just unfit to grasp the techniques. Unconscious competence is the reason why many natural athletes are poor coaches.
They never had to analyze and breakdown the technique of their sport. Mediocre athletes on the contrary, often have to dissect things and are thus suited to teach others.
Know Your Outcome
How do you achieve something if you don’t know what it is you are trying to achieve? You have to be very precise and specific about the outcome you want. As Brian Tracy likes to say, you have to “start with the end in mind.” What this means for your physique goals for example is that you have to decide how exactly you want to look.
Take precise measurements – body fat percentage, body part circumferences, etc. For example your goal may be to lose 2 inches from your waist and add an inch to your flexed biceps. Or you could have a goal to add 20lbs to your barbell deadlift.
Are You Getting Results?
Are you getting results? If yes – keep doing what you are doing. If not – change things up! Probably the biggest mistake of unsuccessful people is to to try harder when things don’t work out the way they want them.
Instead of trying harder, change something. This brings me to the next important rule.
Behavior Modeling Flexibility
To produce different results, don’t try harder. Instead try doing something different. Stiffness of behavior is not typical for high rollers. They constantly evolve and reinvent themselves.
Look at Michael Jordan who changed his offensive game to make more assist when he was being double teamed. Or what about Madonna, who has been dictating the trends in the music industry for 20+ years. They would have failed if they had tried, instead of adapting and changing, to try harder.
Take Action
If you don’t take action consistently, nothing will happen. No amount of reading, talking, web surfing and planning will get you your dream body. This is probably one of the curses of the information age – an overload of data.
In the past people achieved phenomenal results with scarce resources. Maybe this is the secret – to have limited data and test it. If the approach works – good. If not – find another approach or another mentor.
Babe by Vincent
Super post. Loved it!
Thanks Doc! Glad you liked it!
Cheers,
Yavor