Breaking Through Barriers
tapping into the power of the cheat
I fell in love with the iron back in 1991.
Kenyon College.
A required almost forgotten about and finished riiight before graduation gym credit.
Two months after finishing college, I watched Linda Hamilton in the movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Immediately, I knew her physique and presence on screen was what I aspired to emulate. The way she carried herself, both in the movie and during interviews, exuded a confidence and poise I hoped to one day embody.
The rest is a story better suited for the stage a chat over coffee, but suffice it to say I never looked back.
Lifting consistently the past 34 years has built the framework for every success in my life.
Including cheating.
To clarify: Arnold Schwarzenegger's cheating principle for resistance training.
The approach–start with strict form, push to your limit, use momentum to surpass it – has served me well as I make my way from Today-Carla to my Future Self.
In life, as in the weight room, we hit plateaus. We reach points where no matter how hard we push progress feels impossible and our dreams, goals, Future Selves (insert whatever it is you are longing for here) feel out of reach.
This is where the cheat comes in.
Think of it like this:
Perhaps you're learning a new skill and your first attempts are clumsy (heey taking up roller skating at 55!)
Maybe you're launching a business and your initial funding pitches are far from polished.
Or maybe you've been working on lifestyle changes and find yourself backsliding into habits you’d thought you’d changed.
This "loss of form" can feel discouraging; it's a natural part of the growth process.
Precisely as imperfect reps in the gym still build muscle, messy moments in life still move us forward.
The beauty of the cheating principle lies in its ability to expand our perception of what's possible.
Similar to how a bodybuilder might adjust their form to overcome a sticking point, we can also benefit from releasing rigid expectations about how things "should" look as we work toward our Future Selves.
Each time we push beyond a challenge, we redefine our limits and prove to ourselves that we are capable of more.
3 ways to cheat *outside* the weight room:
🦾 Identify Sticking Points
Take a close look at your current goals.
Where are you feeling stuck?
What's the barrier that seems insurmountable?
This could be in career, a personal project, parenting or even a friendship.
Write down where you feel you've hit a wall or plateau for each goal you’ve identified.
This awareness is the starting point for growth.
🦾 Choreograph a Cheat Move
Once you've identified the sticking points, brainstorm unconventional ways to overcome them.
GET CREATIVE!
If you're job hunting, it might be creating a unique personal brand instead of simply sending out resumes.
If you're an aspiring author, perhaps it's self-publishing an e-book instead of waiting for a response to agent queries
The key here is to take big swings and to be willing to try something that feels slightly uncomfortable or unconventional.
🦾 Set a Push Past Schedule
Identify a regular interval – perhaps once a week or month – where you intentionally choose to push past your comfort zone.
Yep. Schedule it.
This could be reaching out on LinkedIn to someone you admire but find an l i t t l e intimidating.
It might be recording an Instagram Reel instead of posting yet another graphic.
It could mean taking on a personal challenge you're not entirely sure you can manage.
Make this ‘pushing past’ a consistent practice, precisely like a workout routine.
And remember, the goal is to gradually expand our limits, not to break ourselves. It’s the combination of discipline and bold action which breaks through barriers and creates the Future Selves we desire.
Arnold Schwarzenegger flexing for Austrian women ~1970
Arnold's cheating principle teaches us growth in all aspects of life requires pushing beyond our perceived limits. It's not only acceptable to encounter imperfections on our journey toward our Future Selves—it's expected.
The next time you hit a sticking point, whether with leg extensions or managing a project, channel Arnold's philosophy: It's okay to let your form get messy. That messiness might indicate you're on the verge of a breakthrough.
Now you:
Had you heard of the principle before today? Have you applied it to your life?
Were you as smitten with Linda Hamilton circa T2 as I was?