Motivation

I want to start by saying you guys and girls amaze me.  I use your success and stories as motivation.  Your exploits of running marathons and ultra-marathon events, or back to back 1/2 marathon - full marathons, triathlons, century rides and endurance swimming.



Clipped from another post.  I was reading something that Scott had posted and it absolutley reminded me of my workouts.

"With that said, there are certainly things that are posted here that motivate me.  My goal is running at least a mile a day, every day for a year.  However, when Scott said that his goal was to average 3 miles a day that stuck in the back of my head.  When I am finishing up my workout, his 3 miles pops in to my head and I may go a 1/10th or 1/4 more, just because. "

I picked 3 miles because it was my original "Fat Goal"  I wanted to be able to run 3 miles.  2 years later and it still feels hard, but I know I can do it, so I use that to challenge myself.  I'm already a little behind because of my surgery the end of last year, so every day is a catchup day for me.  I tell myself you have to catch up, if you quit now and you find out you could have been caught up by just doing one more mile, you are going to be pissed.  So I keep running.  I'm sure there will be a sick day or two along the way as well as some recovery days, family days, unexpected life interruptions, and before you know it i'll be under the gun and trying to put in 30 mile days at the end of the year.  So I use that fear to motivate as well.

Someone else posted about using a picture of themselves when they were fat.  They put it up on the treadmill when they run.  I love that idea.  I haven't physically done that, but I have a photo etched in my mind and every time I think about quitting, I picture that photo and it disgusts me and I keep going.


I still can't wrap my head around running an ultra distance event.  I still have fear of failing at my 1/2 Ironman.  I wonder if I will have the fire and emotion to tackle the full 140.6 next year. I wonder if it will be unfinished business if I don't do it.  And what happens if I do attempt it and I'm not successful.  That fear of failure is a heavy weight.  I think it comes from all those years of hating to run.  I have years and years of instilled behavior and emotion.  I don't run, I can't run, it hurts to run, my lungs burn, I'm not going to run very far, I'm slow.  I failed High School P.E. one year because I refused to run laps.  The Presidents physical fitness tests that are given each year.  That was a week of being embarassed.  I couldn't even do "Girl Pushups"

So are you able to self motivate?  What do you do to push yourself out of your comfort zone?

Scott

I will only speak to the part of your post about fear of failure (Because you KNOW what motivates me) ... This was a quote by Teddy Roosevelt given in Paris, France on April 23, 1910. This was an excerpt from a speech entitle "The Man In The Arena" given at the famous Sorbonne. Darrell H actually uses this quote in his website, but it is a favorite of mine and rings so true. I will highlight the part that makes me think of you....(Which is most of the quote  )

"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."

Thanks Dan,

Great quote, I'll have to digest and work on that one for a bit.
I have my own that isn't as well presented, but I try to think it like this.
Not wanting to lose vs. Wanting to win.  I see them as 2 seperate things.
I see not wanting to lose as fear, and it's an upward battle destined to fail.
Wanting to win is a more positive outlook, but you need to put the work and effort into that to see the results.
I used to try and tell my students about this.  I guess it's a case of do what I say, not what I do.  I would like to be a glass half full rather than a glass half empty person, but I think that will take a lot of work.

Scott

Hey Dan, I found another quote from T.R. that I like and would fit right in line with this.

"The one thing I want to leave my children is an honorable name." "It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed."
Chicago, IL, April 10, 1899

That's a great one!

Scott,
I'm with you on what I could never do growing up.  Do you remember the embarrasement of not being able to shimmy up the rope in gym class?  The gym instructor who didn't understand that you couldn't do a pull-up?  Boy, did that lead to more weight gain.  I hate those days.

This forum is great motivation.  I have used it for several years now to help me attain what I consider my "impossible" goals.  When I run or cycle, I sometimes think of how great it will be to post that I was able to finish an event.  Time doesn't matter, but being able to share with a group that really understands all of our accomplishment, big and small, is really great!

I spoke at a pre-surgical seminar for potential candidates last night and as I looked out in the audience, I could see myself seven years ago.  Afterwards, many  of the people came up and shared their stories with me, their desperation, and wondered whether they could do what I have achieved.  Now I'm using them to motivate me.  I need to succeed at what I do, to show them that they have a chance.  So the next time I'm running, I may be lighter, but I feel like I'm carrying a much heavier load on my shoulders.

Rob

Yeah Rob, I remeber that rope, I remember the pullup bar, and the timed runs around the track.
Give me a sport to play and I'd do o.k.  Make me do PT and I was a failure.

Do you ever wish you could show that gym teacher what you have accomplished.  I know that sounds petty, but I'd sure like the opportunity.

The motivational speeking is something I like doing.  It's funny, I question my own abilities, but I'm so excited when it comes to encouraging other people to get out there and exercise.  To make the most out of this second chance that they have after bariatric surgery.  Someone commented to my wife at one of our support groups that they thought I was really intense and fired up about exercise.

Thanks for your reply.

Scott