Motivation

Morning!

It is hump day, yaaa!  Who doesn't get excited about that?  Today's post is all  about motivation. We all struggle at times to keep our head above water and sometimes we just need a pull.  I'm hoping you read and feel refreshed.

I heard something funny the other day.  We just got a light brushing of snow in my part of the country and it came without expectation and my friend said that meteorologists (aka: weather people) are the only job where you can be wrong a lot of the time and still keep your job.  lol.

Well, we all make mistakes, it's true.  I like to remind myself that it's not the mistake that is the issue but whether I pick myself up after it and go on instead of staying in the dreaded, you know it- RUT.  I really dislike the same old thing day after day.  That's what our relationships can become, our work lives our home lives and certainly our athletic pursuits.

In my last post, I gave my thoughts on things needing to be in sync to get the best performance.  SO much of performance is outcome based.  It is very difficult then to go against the norms of today's society and feel GOOD about what you do, even when the results don't show it.  I have listened to Miranda Cafrae's You Tube post IM win in Kona and she said that it was a good day, good swim, good bike and great run and at times it seemed effortless.  Isn't that what we all want?  I think the truth is that those days are probably not the norm.  What then keeps us motivated during the rest of the time?

I recently replied to a blog post(that I follow) concerning the subject of overthinking and having rough days.  I am very much an overthinker; a passionate person who feels so strongly and has deep connections within myself.  I don't hide much; you see what I feel, how I care and what moves me.  This is truly an amazing way to live but does have drawbacks; the most prevalent is being hard on myself.  It can become fear of failure, retreat to my comfort zone (which is exactly not how I like to be) and a joy stealer.   I have certainly improved in the past few years.  For example, when I started seriously training, I did on occasion stop a run and go home because my ponytail was too tight or loose and my hair flopping around bugged me.  I have also packed it in once when my ear buds wouldn't stay in my ears.  (Had to go back the next day and dig the ear buds out of the ditch) Pretty junior high of me I know.  I just can't explain how it happens but a small thing can easily become a mountain with overthinkers.  I am trying to look beyond the mole hills so I can reach the mountains.

I gave my most favourite advice on the blog post (indicated above) because it is ALWAYS what I need.

 “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” Theodore Roosevelt

This advice reminds me that I need to engage, get myself in the arena and not be timid or fearful and if I am IN the arena to remember that I WILL get my butt kicked sometimes, I WILL sweat and bleed but no MATTER the outcome- I am a competitor who dared greatly!!

I encourage you all to continue to dare greatly, knowing it won't always be easy but persevering and remembering that you are a gladiator, a challenger and it is a worthy cause.

Wishing you a great week!