How well do you know the voice in your head? The one that pipes up as soon as training gets tough and tells you “it’s OK, you’ve done enough, you can stop now”, when you’re perfectly capable of pushing through. Or the one that says “I…. can’t….. do…. this” again and again.
We all trip ourselves up. As a personal trainer, I came across countless people who planned to “start personal training soon, but want to get fitter first”. From the outside it’s clear that they’ll get fitter, faster if they just get on with it. But their ego stops them. They don’t want the trainer to think they’re unfit.
The other day I was riding up a ridiculous hill (let’s call it a mountain, it felt like one). It was the hardest ride I’d done in months and before I knew it I was almost hyperventilating and telling myself that I can’t ride big climbs anymore. I was working out the easiest way to get back to the car without climbing (there was no option). I was getting grumpy and resenting my bike.
You know what we all need to do? Get out of the way!! Step aside and let ourselves achieve. Turn that voice around and ask it for support. Life is lived outside of our comfort zone, so we need to spend more time there.
When I was struggling up the mountain on my bike, I recognised that my voice was being ridiculous. I realised that I needed to start by getting my breathing under control, and then just keep turning the pedals. About a year ago I did a swimming event that pushed me further from my comfort zone that I thought was possible, and I loved it. I was completely surprised that I was doing well and enjoying myself. Even the voice in my head was surprised – it started to support me instead of holding me back. Who knew that was possible? Now, whenever a physical challenge really pushes me, I can draw on that experience and find a way to get through.
We all have lessons we can draw on. We’ve all done something well in the past, but for some reason we tend to block it out and focus on the failures. I’m no psychologist, but I can see that this doesn’t help us. The next time you want to do something – wether it’s finishing the run that you started 10 minutes ago or completing a marathon…. do it. Back yourself. Get out of your comfort zone and live a little. And if the voice says you can’t?
Prove it wrong.
You are so right! I don’t know why the negative thoughts are always more powerfull and easier to access than the positive ones. I can so identify with you with your bike experience. Thank you for that – it has given the positive thoughts a bit more energy to push to the front!
Too right Gretchen! The only personal trainer I have is my dog and he gets me up and going most mornings which is great but when it comes to the weight training, or the crunches, the voice tells me ‘you’ve done enough, time for coffee’.
It’s all “little red engine” stuff – I think I can I think I can I think I can…..
And this whole concept can be so wholly applied to everything we do, can’t it. Thanks Gretchen – you nailed it! We make it so hard and it’s really so dang simple!
As long as we remember that ‘simple’ is different to ‘easy’. I hope you sprinted up a storm today.