A few years back, my youngest boy was desperate to start soccer.
Like, obsessed with the idea.
So we did what enthusiastic parents do:
Paid for the full term
Bought the uniform
Even got him his own little goal for the backyard so he could practise.
We showed up for the first session excited to watch him get involved.
But he was less than impressed.
There were so many (too many) kids.
The coach didn’t know anyone’s name.
It was chaos (not even the organised kind).
After two sessions, he refused to go back. Like I mean, flat out refused.
And when my third child refuses to do something, there is no chance of getting him to change his mind.
We forfeited the whole season, the uniform became his pyjamas and he moved on.
This would be ok if it was the only time it happened, but it happened three more times: with tennis, jiu-jitsu, and basketball 😅
Eventually we learned the lesson:
Don’t buy the boots before they’ve kicked a ball.
Don’t invest in all the gear before you know if they even like the game (it turns out, he loves the game now – he just wasn’t ready before).
This is the same hard lesson I see so many women still learning with strength training. They think they need:
👉🏻 a “proper” setup
👉🏻 heavier weights
👉🏻 a gym membership
👉🏻 the perfect time
👉🏻 the right leggings and matching water bottle (don’t lie 😉)
Before they’ve even started.
But the gear is just a tool.
Sure, having access to lots of equipment can make building strength more convenient, but it’s not the thing that gets the results.
And there’s no guarantee that having all the gear will make you do the work.