A couple of years ago, I had a relatively well-trafficked blog dedicated to fitness. I stopped paying attention to it as I worked on other ventures and ownership of it had expired without me knowing. The blog was lost. C’est la vie.

One of my more popular posts back then was about what I call the terminator mentality when it comes to massive transformation and goal achievement.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was tremendously influential to me. For one, he was the big strong guy that always had the best one-liners, and was unstoppable. As a youth who was rather meek, this is what I wanted to be, and actually is something I pay a bit of tribute to on stage during my strongman performances. If you’ve ever heard my one-liner after my finale feat “I need a vacation” that’s a direct reference to a quote in T2.

When Arnold was originally cast for the movie The Terminator, they actually wanted him to be the hero (later portrayed by Micheal Biehn).

He said “No, give me the role of the terminator.” And the rest is history. He exemplified the role not just because he looks the part. He exemplifies it in the way he thinks.

With the terminator, it is the same way. The terminator was a machine sent back through time to destroy the future by killing humanity’s savior before he was born. He had one goal and was single-minded about accomplishing it.

Things that weren’t in line with the goal were either cast aside or destroyed while it was pursuing its mission. It didn’t whine, it didn’t complain, it didn’t get sidetracked. It would do everything in its power to do it.

For massive transformation, this is the mentality that it takes. You just simply have to do the things. You are either doing the program, or you aren’t. You are either following the diet or you’re not. Do the things and get the results, or make excuses and stay the same.

Now is this the way to live? Absolutely not. I tell my clients, life is for living. There is more to life than lifting heavy things and eating like a rabbit.

However, for short term heavily structured burst programs (as Dan John would say Bus Bench programs)….this is the way to do it. You just have to keep your head down and be single-minded in your mission in order to be able to expect the outcome the program promises. Then you can relax a bit and enjoy the fruits of your efforts.

In the past couple of years, superhero movies have led to a lot of interest in getting the Superhero physique. People want to know about their training programs.

What people should be reading about is their mindset. These people have tremendous levels of work ethic and motivation. They need to look a certain way for their role and will do whatever it takes to achieve it. Having a couple of million dollars on the line can be tremendous motivation.

“I’ve found it’s 80 percent psychology and 20 percent skills.”

Tony Robbins

So how do you know if you are on the right track? Get a proven program, learn what is required of the program. And then everything you do is a choice determined with a simple question.

“Is this in line with what I’m supposed to be doing?”

If you need that proven program and are willing to put in the effort then perhaps Amazing 12 is for you. I now save that only for the most dedicated members. Amazing 12 is all about what’s optimal, but that also comes with the optimal mindset for success. I’m actually putting together an application form to make sure they really are ready.

The more relaxed approach that builds incrementally over time is what I recommend for most people. Then when they get a bit of success under their belt and have shown me that they’re going to follow the program maybe I can put them through the Amazing 12.

If you enjoyed this article please share it.

If you need help and think I’m the one to help you, let’s talk.

Eric Moss is a world-record-holding modern-day professional performing strongman, author, motivational speaker, and personal trainer. In the tradition of the strongmen more common during the turn of the century, he performs feats of strength such as bending steel and breaking chains as part of a show and speaks on goal achievement for corporations, nonprofits, government as well as for schools and universities. His exclusive personal training studio is located on Main Street in Boonton New Jersey, is close to Mountain Lakes, Denville, Montville and Parsippany New Jersey.