Dashing it across the finish line. How to stay motivated and get going?
I wanted to get it done. I was desperate this time. But as I was nearing the target, I had lost all hopes. I was cursing myself for what I have signed up for. In those weak moments, my mind started to play it all again — “Give up. You won’t be able to make it. Your legs are hurting. It’s okay. At least you tried. Practice it harder and you’ll finish it next time.” And just when I thought of stopping, I heard some one say from behind — “Keep rolling. Keep it going. One step at a time. We are almost there. Just few more kilometres to go. Don’t give up.” I looked at my side. There was this young volunteer on bicycle trying to keep up with my snail pace. She started to have small chit-chat with me to keep my mind distracted. She kept the motivational talk on and promised me to be by my side till the very end. Soon I was there. Across the finish line. And that’s how I completed my first half marathon in October 2019. Thanks to the volunteer and her motivating words that I didn’t quit when I was just 5 kilometres away from the finish line.
Most people give up just when they’re about to achieve success. They quit on the one yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game one foot from a winning touchdown. ~ Ross Perot
But quite often, we often find ourselves quitting without knowing how far we have come and how less we have to go ahead. It’s that time of the year when we make resolutions, set goals for ourselves. We are motivated and ready to cruise forward with all the reasons in our mind. But around mid-year, we find ourselves quitting on them one by one telling ourselves “I’ll have another go next year.” Unconsciously we are caught in the same pattern year after year. Our mind set gets habitual to this pattern that we find it difficult to change it thinking that’s how we are wired.
How to Stay Motivated and Not Give Up?
I found myself in this situation 4 years back when one my senior colleague and a wonderful mentor pointed it to me. When I contemplated on this observation, I realized that I am not a great finisher and have a tendency to give up. No matter what the end rewards were, I found it challenging to stay motivated on the course. And well even after all these years, I won’t say that I have overcome this habit completely, there are some practices that have helped me to break the mental obstacles that usually stops me.
- Being patient and mentally prepared: If it’s a big goal then good amount of work needs to be done. Nothing happens magically or is an overnight success. Mental notes and reiteration on these lines help in my preparation and execution. It keeps me from losing my patience when things don’t move quickly or I don’t see the results. It keeps me sane when I fail few times and not let people’s judgement get into my mind.
- Breaking down big goal into milestones: Just like a corporate strategy is divided into quarterly milestones, I break down my goal into small goals. I feel better to deal with small pieces one day at a time knowing I am progressing towards my goal. When challenged, I take it as an opportunity to self-evaluate. I open my mind to new perspectives, new approaches and seek help from others. And I don’t forget to reward myself as and when I go past each milestone.
- Being in a company of highly motivated people: Being in a right company always helps. I surround myself with people who are cheerful and have a positive attitude. These are the people who cheer for me when I feel low. Just like that volunteer lifted my spirits, I turn to my support group for some wise words when I feel like giving up. And well, this not one way, I always remember to return the same favors when someone reaches out to me for help and motivation ( and in return, I feel good and also motivated!).
One of the realizations I had when I attended a meditation course was I don’t want to live a life of regrets and wondering what my life had been if only I had taken on the opportunity. What if I hadn’t given up, would my life had been different? So, now whenever I feel challenged, I ask myself — What if I take this challenge and complete it, would it make a difference to my life, boost my confidence, make me a better person? If yes, then there is no looking back, only on wards and upwards.
