Go surf Facebook (or buy stock) or Pinterest and you’ll see it’s chock full of quotes to motivate, excite, inspire and make your life better. You might even see pictures of puppies and kittens and a few phallic symbols.
That’s all fine and good. I am a quote-a-holic myself. But, after reading one too many quotes about believing in yourself and not being afraid of failure, it all starts to blend together. Sometimes what’s needed is a visual. A reminder of what it means to live those words, not just read them.
Watch this video. Just watch it until at least 1:20. You’ll see what I mean. (Thanks, Howard!)
Now tell me about how you got your period or ran out of time or were too tired to run today. After watching that, I bet you won’t want to admit your excuses.
Getting in shape or running your first race or exercising for even ten minutes a day is not something you will feel like every time you are getting ready to do it. The feelings are not important. The action is important. Getting up and following through is important. Even when you don’t want to.
We might not be track stars, but we can learn to pull ourselves up and keep going. Determination is something we all have, deep down. Yet, it is not something we all use. To achieve your goals, you have to be determined to the point that you are stubborn. Too stubborn to not succeed.
So when you’re…
- Tired, know that a run will invigorate you
- “Blah,” know that a run will give you energy
- Angry, know that a run will give you perspective
- Feeling bad about yourself, know that a run will give you confidence
- Unmotivated, know that a run is the first step
- Busy, know that a run is worth fitting in, and that people much busier than you are making it happen (yes, I read that quote somewhere)
Try this: Squeeze your hand into a fist as hard as you can. Now squeeze a little harder. See? You always have more to give than you think you do.
How would you complete this sentence? When I don’t feel motivated, I __________________. I’d say, “When I don’t feel motivated, I don’t overthink it. I go before I can talk myself out of it.”
SUAR
