I bought myself this t-shirt. It makes me happy and feel a little deliciously subversive since the only time I wear it is when I hit the pavement. For those of you who are new around here, I started running for the first time since the 7th grade this past September. I am a newbie, and not the evangelical-converted-you-have-to-try-running-it-will-change-your-life kind. I’m more along the lines of an I’m-fairly-certain-this-next-workout-will-kill-me-I’m-so-out-of-shape newbie.
And yet, three mornings a week I put on my t-shirt and head down the road as soon as the girls get on the bus. It’s a thirty minute run, nothing earth-shattering, but I always feel better for having run. I experience a sense of accomplishment that stays with me for the rest of the day when I get home.
Here’s the thing though. I never want to run. I want to have run. I want to feel better about my body, get into better shape, have more energy and lose a few pounds. But I never want to run. And if I wait around for the motivation to do it, it will never, ever happen.
We sometimes think that if something is important enough to us we’ll want to do it. And that doesn’t always or often happen. How many people have half-finished novels sitting on their hard drive, waiting for the motivation to figure out the place where the plot derailed? How many people buy gym memberships and never step foot into the place again? How many people do you know talk about getting around to __________ (losing the baby weight, getting a new job, figuring out what they want to do with their life, etc. etc.) someday? The insinuation is that they are waiting for a compelling enough reason to stop their life and focus on whatever that something is. And occasionally people do get that kind of motivation – a cancer diagnosis, an unexpected break up, a near-death experience or some other huge loss in their life. Hopefully, you are lucky enough not to have a tragic or scary life-changing event propel you into change.
And then, there are a few that decide if they wait around until they want something bad enough to go after it, it will probably never happen. So they dive in. And they make the choice to dive in again and again and again. Despite the failings, despite the tedium of the steps towards their goal, despite the fact that they never quite want to take the steps.
It’s ok to acknowledge you don’t want to do something. But if it serves your bigger goal, you have to acknowledge that you don’t want to do it while you do it anyway. If you wait to want, you’ll never get any closer.
I will never want to run day after day. I wear my “Running Sucks” shirt to express those feelings…and then I run anyway. What can you do to propel yourself in to action for something you’ve been putting off until the day you “want to do it?”
Regina Verow is a life coach and workshop presenter who believes we can change the world one tiny creative step at a time. For questions about coaching or to receive a free, no obligation coaching session, email her at Regina@ReginaVerow.com.
running does, indeed, totally suck. it’s the endorphins that rock!
way to go though! i’ve been in your shoes, and though i don’t run as often as i should, knowing that i has given me an entirely new lease on life!
Regina,
You’ve just summarized my whole life in a nutshell. I don’t like working out, but I love the feeling of having worked out (the 2 or 3 times a year that I actually do work out). Same thing with writing. Same thing with cleaning.
Thanks for the swift kick to the butt. I just need to change my mind and get it done.
Think of it less as a kick in the butt and more of a shout of “Come on in, the water’s fine!”
We are cut from the same cloth I think.
“I never want to run. I want to *have* run.” My God, truer words have never been spoken. This is one of those instances where I say self-discipline and perseverance can be a lot more valuable in life than even the smallest inspiration. Inspiration might move you once, for an hour, but discipline and perseverance move you *every* day, day after day.
Nice floor, by the way.