Try This Before You Want to Give Up
The other day, while in the middle of a run, I thought to myself, “I hate this right now…” My heart was pounding, my lungs were burning, my legs felt heavy, and my mind was giving me 874 reasons I should stop and never run again.
With traveling this summer, I’ve been pretty inconsistent with exercise, so my current goal is to get up to 3 miles and not feel like I want to lay down in the ditch. When it comes to running, or any type of exercise for that matter, the more consistent the better, especially if we want to progress.
I've been running for almost two decades and I’ve stopped and started over again more times than I can count. One significant lesson I've learned from all of those starts and stops has transferred over to my 10+ year long entrepreneurial journey: If you can get through the challenge of the middle, you’ll succeed.
In the beginning, whether you're starting your business or creating a new project, your motivation is high. You’re dreaming about the impact you want to have, the finish line you want to cross, and how proud of yourself you’re going to feel. You’re building the foundation, your end goals are top of mind, and you feel like you have the wind at your back. Unfortunately, motivation has the same shelf life as a ripe avocado.
Then, the challenge of the middle shows up. You’re not quite as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as you were in the beginning. You're trying new things and you've probably experienced failures as a result. You're experiencing self-doubt, and are worried about burning out since the path has been a bit bumpier than expected. You’re expanding your limits, feeling the burn, and maybe wondering if you’re on the wrong route because you can’t see the next mile marker. People who started behind you may even start passing you. Even that woman pushing the double stroller seems to be gliding along more swiftly than you.
The middle is where your mindset will either make or break you. This is when most people let fear take over and lead them back into the safety of their comfort zones. I’m convinced the only way you’ll truly fail is if you let the “middle” win over and over again. So here are a few tips on how to move through that challenge:
1. Surround yourself with other “runners.”
When I ran a marathon in college, I trained with 3 other girls. Every Saturday morning at 7am, we would meet up for a long run. There were so many Saturdays I did not want to run, but because I knew they'd be waiting on me, I kept showing up. We all did.
Sometimes, all we need is to know we're not alone. When we're surrounded by others with similar goals, it helps normalize the ups and downs of the experience and keeps us encouraged to continue. While I may not have looked forward to the actual run, I did look forward to spending time with them as we pushed one another to keep going. I was reminded of this last week during our monthly JAVA Method Q&A call. Each member who showed up and shared where they were in their business was met with so many head nods and notes of encouragement to keep going. We all left feeling a little less alone and a little more inspired to keep showing up and putting one foot in front of the other.
2. Keep your eye on the next mile marker rather than the finish line.
When it comes to succeeding long-term, you're going to need momentum. Since success is very motivating to our brains, focusing on small successes along the way to the ultimate goal will give you the momentum you'll need to continue. There's also something incredibly motivating at keeping your sights just beyond your reach. If you're running a race and only thinking about the finish line, it's going to be incredibly hard to keep going through the middle. Especially since this is when fear and doubt get really loud.
It's great to hold a vision of your end goal, but make sure you're focusing on the progress and effort you're making daily so you can build the momentum you'll need for the long haul.
3. Keep yourself well-nourished.
The way you fuel yourself makes a massive impact on your performance. While what we eat can absolutely support our brain function, it's also important to be intentional about our mental and emotional intake as well. What information are you taking in on a daily basis? Does this help you feel energized, capable, and motivated? If not, what can you do differently to support yourself?
What we watch, read, listen to, and say will either hold us back or help us succeed in ways we can only imagine. We only have so much energy and focus in a given day, and we want to make sure we're fueling ourselves in ways that optimizes those resources.
If you’re currently feeling the challenge of the middle, I hope you’ll keep going. Eventually, you’ll find yourself breathing smoothly, your legs will be stronger, and those wonderful endorphins will finally kick in. You’ll feel incredibly proud of yourself, not despite the struggle, but because of it. Your consistent hard work is a part of the reward.
Like we talked about last week, there’s something incredibly fulfilling about moving through the challenges. Seeing the results of our efforts compounding is what makes the journey worth it.
Lee Spencer, an ex-Royal Marine who became the world's first physically disabled person to row the Atlantic Ocean solo (and beat the able bodied record by 36 days), told Dr. Pippa Grange in her book, Fear Less: “I believe in dreaming when you can guarantee you'll fail at the first attempt. The failure is integral to the success. If you achieve without failing, what success was it really? Success is only worthwhile if it comes at the end of a lot of failures. Otherwise, it's cheap success."
Lean into the challenge of the middle knowing you're capable of success as long as you continue putting one foot in front of the other.
INTERESTED IN WORKING TOGETHER?
If you're ready to take your life and business to the next level, without stress and burnout, it's time for you to seriously prioritize your mindset. Let's work together on that! Click the link below and apply for a call where you and I can talk through all the details to see if it would be a good fit. I'm so excited to see the growth that's ahead of you!