Imagine you're running. Its hot. You're sweating. You're 10 miles in and the last part of your run consists of steep, unforgiving hills. What are you thinking? Are you thinking about how your legs hurt? How your clothing is dripping with salty sweat drops? Are you thinking that no one is around so it's okay that you slow down? STOP NEGOTIATING.
That's what you're doing, isn't it? You're negotiating with yourself to not give your best...to give up the fight. Our minds start to look for "ways out" when the going gets tough. Have you noticed that? Most people don't even realize that they do it. Start to become aware of where your mind goes when you face challenges. I might suggest that the best athletes in the world have stopped negotiating. I might suggest that this mental strength is something that separates the best from the rest of us. That's right, don't let those thoughts enter your mind, not for one second. Keep them out. Its those creeping thoughts that enter our minds and start making excuses for us. Keep your eyes on the target, focus, and don't negotiate anymore. Do not allow one reason to explain why you're not doing your best.
The other day I did about a 12 mile run in 95 degree heat where the heat index screamed 100+. Towards the end of my run, the air had chilled to a cool 90... My last two miles were all uphill. But here's the juice in it. Here's where it gets good folks. Here's where most people give up. Here's where you stop negotiating. I pushed through and up and up and up. My legs were sore from a work out from the day before, but I wouldn't let my mind recall that because then, I would have a way out. I picked a spot in the distance, past the last hill. I focused in and dug deep. I felt the negotiating reasons tug at my brain....If I allowed them in, they would have taunted, 'Sara you're sore from your Total Conditioning class yesterday. Sara's is super hot; everyone slows down in the heat. Sara, isn't your knee still hurting from Saturday's hill workout?' The difference between the best and the others is that the best don't negotiate.
Look at your life. Where are you negotiating? Is it before you even started the workout? Are you already making excuses why you shouldn't move your body today? Do you know you need to call someone and suddenly you're telling yourself you're too tired? Have you told a friend you'd meet them and all the sudden, you reason that you can't make the date because you've got too many errands to run? We negotiate with ourselves all the time...not just during the workouts. I challenge you to keep your mind focused and forbid the thoughts of reason.
Stop Negotiating.
Sara girl this is why I love ya! I think you just woke me up! I have never heard it put this way.
ReplyDeleteSigned a 198 lb Josh Hill
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ReplyDeleteJames 1:2-8 - STOP NEGOTIATING!!!!!
ReplyDelete2-4Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way (the Message). 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does (NIV).
STOP NEGOTIATING!!!!!!
Yea, I do this all the time. Something I have been working on for the last year or so. Thanks for the encouragement.
ReplyDeleteIf it is something which must be done eventually, it should be done immediately.
ReplyDeleteI think this was the perfect 1st post. You hit the nail on the head. Shoot, I do the negotiating garbage all the time. Thanks for calling me out. Looking forward to many future posts! Ginger
ReplyDeleteLooks great, keep it up!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, Sara. And even the best negotiate now and then. I would love to hear some thoughts from athletes on how they fight those negative thoughts that creep in.
ReplyDeleteMe? I negotiate, but am starting to do it in a positive way. When I ran the Lincoln Half Marathon in May, just a couple weeks after running the Boston Marathon, the negative thoughts crept in at about mile 10. "You just PR'd at Boston. You don't have to run hard today." "This last three miles is so long and flat. It's not your type of course, so it's OK to back off." "Anything under x:xx is a good time, so don't push yourself!" When those crept in, I negotiated, but in a positive way. I told myself that if I ran hard and tried to PR in those last 3 miles, I could run the CB half "for fun". And if I did, in fact, PR, I would treat myself to a massage on Monday. It worked!
What do you do when those negative thoughts creep in?
Peg, I love your illustration of negotiation in a positive light. This is just one example of why you are such a super fast, strong athlete. Isn't it amazing how powerfully our minds are linked to our results.... In fact, your question of 'what I do when negative thoughts creep in,' is actually going to be answered in my next blog post. Stay tuned!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd, I love massage reward!!! I have a tri this Sunday and I've saved up a birthday massage for after!!