Hello runner friends!
Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series
MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog.
Now let's get started by talking about a club that you just might want to be a part of... a club that will motivate you to brush the dirt off your failed goal(s) and try once more. The Start Over Club. What exactly is this club? It's a group of individuals of all ages, sizes, shapes, and fitness levels who have decided to give it another shot, to forgo throwing in the towel, and to pick themselves up and start over again after one failed attempt or one hundred of them. It's a group that views failures as not only learning experiences but wonderful opportunities to discover better ways of doing something.
What does this "club" look like in real life? Well, consider the words of Benjamin Franklin who was most definitely a member of the Start Over Club, "I didn't fail the test, I just found a hundred ways to do it wrong." And Thomas Edison, also a proud member, who was quoted as saying, "I didn't fail. I just found 2,000 ways not to make a light bulb. I only needed to find one way to make it work." Both of these pioneers didn't stop until they succeeded in what they had set out to do... and neither should you.
And now consider the words of my friend, Thea Levine, a runner and athlete. But first consider that Thea is participating in a 75-day program that takes a person back to day one if they miss even one of the daily requirements. She is determined to finish this program no matter how long it takes or how many attempts it takes to do it, "Selfie of me at 4am when I realized my noxgear battery was dead but needed to get my outdoor run in. Day one (so incredibly embarrassing to admit I’m starting over for the third time). Anyway, here’s to all my fellow peeps in the start over club!!"
Do you just love Thea's attitude or what? I know I do. In fact, I was so inspired by her grit and tenacity that I reached out to her and asked, "Can you just kind of tell me about the other times when you had to start over? And also why it was important that you started over and did not quit. What is it that keeps you motivated to keep pressing on? And obviously you view failures as only stepping stones. Can you elaborate on that?" And this is what she said....
It would be easy for me to blame my do overs on the stress of life, the changes that are out of my control, or even my inability to not act out of pure impulse. However, I am tired of hearing my own excuses. We all have stress, we all have so many changes out of our control, and we can all let impulsivity take over. I think it comes down to my ability to choose me. To choose myself, my health, my happiness first. The first time I restarted was my 40th birthday, great excuse, right? The second time was me in a layer of self-pity that I wrapped around myself about some of the changes in my life. Each time, after I caved or “mistakenly” forgot to do my second work out I spent time truly debating on just pushing forward vs starting over. Each time, I realized I owe it to myself and my journey to do this honestly and successfully. I know I’ll succeed. I don’t know when, I don’t know how many more restarts I may have, nor do I care, because I know I will. I started this journey to be a better version of myself, as cliché as that sounds, it’s true. I want to be a role model to my children and accomplish the goals that I have set for myself. I am a proud member of the restart club but I’m ok with that because it means I didn’t give up and I won’t quit!!
And if that weren't enough to inspire you to join the "start over club," check out some of these quotes about not giving up.
“How long should you try? Until.” ―Jim Rohn
"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” ―Dale Carnegie
"Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” ―Harriet Beecher Stowe
"You do what you can for as long as you can, and when you finally can’t, you do the next best thing. You back up but you don’t give up.” ―Chuck Yeager
"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” ―Thomas Edison
"If you fall behind, run faster. Never give up, never surrender, and rise up against the odds.” ―Jesse Jackson
And my personal favorite? “You just can’t beat the person who won’t give up.” ―Babe Ruth
So there you have it friends. If at first you don't succeed, try and try again. And if you still haven't succeeded, try and try again once more. And if you fail again? Try again. Never, ever, ever stop trying!! After all, being one of those "peeps" in Thea's "start over club," gives you Rock Star status in my book. So to all of my fellow peeps (yes, I'm a proud member too) in the "start over club," here's another shout out... "You rock!! Keep killing it!"
Happy Running!!!
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