MOTIVATION MONDAY: IT’S NOT A SPRINT
This article was originally published on May 20, 2019 at https://gritdaily.com/motivation-monday-its-not-a-sprint/
By Loralyn Mears PhD | May 20, 2019
This is the Monday Motivation you need if you’re one of those people who slog through your mornings.
IT’S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO KEEP GOING
Life throws us curve balls when we least expect it. One moment, we are on top of the world, all axes of our lives seem fabulous. The job is great, money’s not tight, personal relationships are stellar, a vacay is upcoming and life is fabulous. Then one axis, or several, collapse. What then? How do we find the motivation on Monday, Tuesday, and so on to keep going?
TIPS TO KEEP GOING EVEN WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN
This week’s collection of tips for Motivation Monday is a bit of a hodge-podge of everything that we’ve talked about thus far.
#1 – VISUALIZE IT
We’ve talked about this before. Picture yourself accomplishing the goal. Think about what it will feel like to cross that finish line, kick back and revel in what you have just achieved after working at it for so long!
#2 – BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
It may be the hardest thing that you’ve ever tried to do. Great! Don’t stop believing in yourself even for a moment. Dig deep. Find that inner-confidence that says, “I can do this.” Within your imagination lies the art of the possible. You can make it happen.
#3 – PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
Given the quote, “life is not a sprint, it’s a marathon,” truer words have never been spoken. You need to be prepared that there may be a considerable amount of time between setting a goal and achieving it. Practiceduring that interim is required. Specifically, a lot of practice may be necessary. The upside is that you can rejoice and relive, over and over again if you like, the joy that you feel when you achieve your goal. Celebrating your achievement is critical as it serves more than a Motivation Monday mantra – it will set you up ready to conquer an even bigger challenge.
WHO’S YOUR MOTIVATION MONDAY HERO?
The internet is like that. You can skyrocket from zero to hero in a viral moment. This was the case for Laura Mazur and Jessica Robertson who became the celebrated winners of the Pittsburgh Marathon on May 5, 2019. Mazur was running her 12th marathon and Robertson her first. Neither had met prior to Mile 14 in the middle of the race.
No, they didn’t come in first and second in a thrilling 1-2 finish. Nor did they break a marathon record for the fastest run. Au contraire. The pair actually finished last, over 7 hours after starting the marathon. But the critical fact here is that they finished together and the moment was beautifully captured by Daniel Heckert, a member of the cheer squad.
As is the case for all Motivation Monday stories, these two ladies had a goal. They were highly challenged to achieve their goal but they found each other. Then they inspired and cheered each other on and promised to cross the line together no matter what.
We are all just like Laura Mazur and Jessica Robertson. We have goals and dreams but sometimes life gets in the way. But, just as a new obstacle can be thrown in our path, so can a new opportunity. A new friendship. A lifeline.
Cheers to inspiring someone else and achieving your own goal along the way!