Already Primed

Did you know we are already primed for self-motivation? Within the first 9-15 months of life most human beings are already walking tall – many running all over the place. We learn to speak and understand at least one language within the first four years of life, and we figure out ways to get lots of things that we want. Let’s face it; humankind is quite a demanding species and has no issues with motivation. The question that arises is not whether or not we can be bothered, but what we can be bothered to do.

So What Stops Us?

You won’t like this. It is not our bodies that stop us from sticking to a diet or an exercise regime. It is not the outside world that stops us from achieving our goals, even though it can throw up obstacles. The single most important obstacle and also the essential ingredient in reaching our desired destination is our mind. It is the mind that tells you to stop running when the going gets tough. It is the mind that tells you that you can eat that high calorie chocolate bar and ‘pay it back’ later. It is the mind that whispers the words of defeat when you have so far to go before you reach your goal and yet…..it is the mind that sets the goal in the first place; the mind that has decided the path you are taking. Make your mind your friend.

How Do We Make the Mind Our Friend?

Well first of all we need to be sure of the reasons we are doing what we are doing. In the ancient classic, The Art Of War, it is said that in order to win the war, the soldiers need to be sure of their reasons for entering battle, and fully prepared to do what is necessary. Without conviction – the conviction of really wanting the prize at all costs and the conviction that the prize is there for the taking – the battle is doomed to failure. If we really accept that the only genuine obstacle is mind, then it should not be difficult to hold the conviction that we can get there, provided we know what we want.

The next step is to make sure that we break the task down into goals that we are convinced we can achieve. This makes conviction easier. This makes it easier to believe we can accomplish the mission. As the ancient Chinese proverb states – “The march of 1000 miles starts with the first step” and how true that is. When you run, all you need to know is that you can put one foot in front of the other. If genuine tiredness sets in, you can always slow down; you don’t need to stop even though the mind may suggest it. By succeeding with one step, you and your mind know that you are capable of another step. If you can bear the first week of a tough 8 week programme, you can also bear the second week and so on. The secret is to break down the bigger task into smaller SMART targets as discussed in a previous post.

Know Your Enemy

The mind is your friend if you want it to be. If you don’t work in harmony with it as your friend, it becomes your enemy. You need to know the tricks that the mind can play on you and how you can overcome them. For example, when running up a hill, every step can get harder and harder. Then when the summit is reached, disaster strikes because  although a plateau has been reached, the body is still feeling more battered with every step. This is often a breaking point for those who have not planned. In reality, it takes time to recover at the top of the hill so you have to set your mind on a point beyond the summit. We all have unique breaking points and personal triggers for negative thinking. Get to know those triggers. Learn from them. Once you know them, you can work you way round them; re-frame them.

I was going to write this blog last week but couldn’t do it with a sincere heart because I was defeated in the middle of a 6km run. The mind managed to beat me because I had not ran that particular route for some time, and I underestimated the time it would take to reach one of the milestones en route. I was struggling with thirst (lack of planning) in intense heat and looking at the horizon for a milestone that wasn’t appearing. By the time I reached that milestone, I was done – all psyched out. Today, I drank before I set off and I remembered how long it took to reach that milestone so this time my mind and my body were more than prepared to make the distance and the task was completed.

Draw Strength From Your Genes

Another useful trick that I use when I need an extra push is to remind myself of the strengths of my species – humankind; the pinnacle of evolution. Think about your ancestors and the difficulties they have been through. Think about modern day heroes. I sometimes think of soldiers running behind enemy lines in the dead of night, or imagine somebody is counting on me to make it to the end.  Somebody is counting on you to make it to the end. You. Stay strong. Know what you want. Plan for success. Bring your mind on board. Seize the success you deserve.

The Chan School of Nunchaku believe in achieving nunchaku excellence through self-development, awareness and focus. To find out more contact us.

 

 

 

 

‘Cognitive Mind’ image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net