Today, I officially achieved a personal fitness goal…I ran two miles non-stop. For me, that’s a major milestone that I’ve worked up to for weeks. Either I would run just shy of two miles or I would have to take breaks. I finally accomplished it and made some observations during the process that also connects to my personal life goals.
- Self-talk is key- be mindful of what you tell yourself. While running, I continued to tell myself “you can do this”, “you got this”, and “you will get there”. I likely would have stopped had I not taken the time to reassure myself of my ability to finish.
- The only competition is you- understand that the true measure of success is the progress you made. Compare yourself to what you did before and not to the success or accomplishments of others. I didn’t compete with fitness records of others while working to achieve my goal. I only focused on what I wanted to work towards and what I needed to do to get there.
- Envision the end- picture yourself finishing that milestone and achieving the goal. I could see myself getting to the two-mile mark and claimed the victory prior to completion. Even in the midst of running, I told myself “you did it!”
- Slow down if necessary- when I was short of breath and my legs were beginning to get tired, I slowed down my pace to maintain my strength…and finished the run. Sometimes, goals are set that will require more time to complete than anticipated. That’s ok…keep working until it is done.
- Just don’t quit- You are always closer to the end than you think you are. Think about the profess and where you want to be…then commit to working even harder to assure it’s achieved.
One of my favorite poems: Just Don’t Quit says it best.
It was appropriate to wear this Envision the Possibilities shirt today. Imagine if you focus on what you will and can do versus what you won’t or can’t do. Those thoughts alone will ensure that you don’t quit!
Until next time,
Xoxo