Moving forward in life is about overcoming your obstacles. Three weeks ago, I ran my very first race, which is funny because I always told myself, ‘I am not runner.’
I had my reasons for putting myself in the “non-runner” category: I have exercised induced asthma, and I’ve had several attacks that landed me in the hospital; I have neuroma, a pinched nerve in my right toe; I’ve never been good at running, especially long distances; and I don’t really like it. And while all these reasons have some truth in it, it became a perfectly logical reason as to why I identified as “I am not a runner.”
But when I was invited to play tennis with some friends, and I could barely keep up, I realized I was out of shape. Around that same time, I downloaded the audiobook, You Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins. It was everything I needed to hear. He went from being overweight to a Navy Seal, running 100 miles, and so much more. He shares his journey of overcoming obstacles, learning from setbacks and callusing the mind.
He says, “Get over whatever is stopping you from being your best self. Rather than use the obstacles and setbacks in your life as excuses, use them as the catalyst to get better and go further in life.”
Listening to this audiobook helped me realize the beliefs I had about ‘Why I am Not A Runner’ seemed real but they were excuses. So, I went to the running store and had them take 3D pictures of my feet, so I could get the best shoes for my needs and I started running.
At first, I had lots of mental resistance. Can I really do this? Do I even want to do this? I am not a runner. But the high after I finished (runner’s high is a real thing) was enough to keep me going back for more. Sidenote: There was a huge difference between my mind chatter about running and the actual experience of running.
A month later, I signed up and ran my first race, and I LOVED IT! I signed up for another one next month. And maybe I’m a runner after all…
So what does all this have to do with you?
We all have the power to reinvent ourselves and create a new, empowered identity that expands what is possible in our lives.
Maybe what you have been telling yourself about why you can’t do something you want, while there might be some truth in it…perhaps it isn’t the absolute truth?
Maybe what you think the experience is going to be like is different from the actual experience?
Maybe something you once didn’t like, can be something you like now?
I invite you to look at an area of your life where you’re telling yourself “I am… (not a writer, scared of failing, bad at relationships, not good at selling, etc.)
It’s possible these beliefs were formed a long time ago…
You can become someone who is a writer, takes risks, is good at relationships, enjoys selling, etc.
It’s time to update your operating system and program your story about what’s possible for you.
Your potential is limitless, First Name.
So tell me, what belief do you have that is not supporting who you want to become? What uncomfortable action will you take to expand what’s possible for you?
Let me know…