In boxing, “going the distance” means being conditioned and relentless so that you can last long enough to wear down your opponent and eventually win the fight. To go the distance, a boxer must be ready for the fight. He (or she!) must have a strong will to stand tall against his opponent, and absorb many blows and attacks.

The boxer carefully and meticulously plans his strategy. He expects to be hit, so he does everything to try to minimize the damage, while working hard for victory by outlasting his opponent. The boxer believes he will win and does what it takes to win. He is relentless.

What does this have to do with fitness? Well, in life — as in boxing — we are hit hard every day. Life sometimes throws hard uppercuts that may hurt and weaken us if we are not prepared.

So the key is to be prepared and be able to withstand all those hits — those uppercuts — and continue forward in quest of our goals.

We must expect the hits and, like a boxer, try to minimize their impact on us as we focus instead on achieving our goals. If we believe in our dreams, truly believe in our journey and our destination, then we will withstand the tough rounds and eventually win the match.

If we are relentless in pursuit of our goals, then we will outlast our opponent (in the case of life, our opponents are negativity and mediocrity) and win the final bout — not by knocking out the other guy in the ring, but by achieving success and reaching our goals.

In the 32 years I have been training people and helping them reach their fitness goals, I have coached and witnessed thousands of people as they attained great success. By watching them, I have learned one important principle: The difference between failure and success is, first, having the will to make it to the final round and, second, having the focus to see it through.

I truly believe that success is out there, just waiting for anyone to embrace it — anyone, that is, with a strong will and the strength to stay in the fight.

Whether your goal is to lose 50 pounds, trim your waistline, build your biceps or simply start eating more healthfully and get more exercise, I urge you to reach out today and create your own success!