Get Your Mind Right!

Motivation is such an interesting concept.  Your motivation, not your talent, when taking on a high goal or ambition will undoubtedly determine your success in completing that goal.  Many far less talented people have accomplished so much more than their highly skilled counterparts primarily because of their high motivation & determination to carry out their dream. Lou Holtz is famous for his thoughts on motivation, "Motivation is easy, just eliminate those who aren't motivated!"  That is great advice in terms of a team and it is funny how the scheme of life tends to do that for us anyway.  Those who aren't motivated to carry out their dreams typically never will, no matter what their potential is. 

So how do you get yourself motivated? Trust me, there are many days that I do not feel like getting up at 3:30-4 am to get my training in for a race coming up.  At the time it seems like such a better idea to get some extra sleep, or try to convince myself that I can fit it in later.  The game you have to play in your mind is to ask yourself what is more valuable to you? I have to go through this scenario several times a month.  The most important thing in my life is my family.  I want to spend as much time with my 2 precious girls & my adorable wife as possible when I am not working.  I also know that I have to take care of myself physically to enjoy them later on in life.  It is also important to me to lead my daughters by example in the form of discipline, hard work, self-motivation, & fitness.  In order to accomplish both these needs I have to make the sacrifice to get up early & get my training in while they are all asleep, so I do not miss any time with them later.  The sacrifice really isn't sleep.  That would be unhealthy in itself and very counter productive to overall fitness.  I have to sacrifice the night before, choosing to go to bed earlier instead of watching meaningless TV shows or browsing Facebook or Twitter until 11pm or midnight. So basically I had to decide that my family, fitness, & influence on my girls is more valuable to me than TV, social media, & the internet.  Many of you have had to make the same decisions in your life.  As you look at your goals and aspirations for 2011, staying motivated will be one of the biggest challenges you face. 

Here are some ways to "Get Your Mind Right" when times get tough.

1.  What is most valuable to you in your life?
2.  How do your goals/aspirations line up with what you value?
3.  What things in your life do you need to sacrifice that don't line up with your values & are hindering you from accomplishing your goals & keeping you from what your value.
4.  Failing to plan is a plan for failure.  If you don't set yourself up to success, many times you will not. If you have to get your fitness done in the mornings, then lay your clothes out the night before & have your meals for the day ready to go.  This way if you wake up late or are tired, which will surely happen, you rid yourself of excuses to keep you from getting up and getting your workout in. 
5.  Who do you have in your life that can keep you accountable?
     This can be direct or indirect.  Having a partner who is waiting on you or counting on you to show up will really help you get there. 
     However everyone is not always on the same schedule so you might need some indirect accountability.  My daughters are counting on me to be in my best shape possible so I can run with them, play with them, coach their sports teams, run with them into adulthood, & ride bikes with their children in the future.  I want to enjoy life with my children for a long time.
     I am also no fan of the idea of the "getting in better shape" idea.  It is always a huge motivator to have some type of apex event coming up that will force you to get your disciplined training in.  Signing up for a race is a great event to shoot for.  You can also schedule a personal photo shoot date that will be a payoff for your changed image & a celebration of your discipline.  There are many creative ways to challenge yourself into getting out of bed.  Just "getting in better shape" never works.

Your discipline the the blood that is pumped from a heart of motivation. 

Nick