A Marathon is made of small steps
posted in Exercise Science |Earlier this year I embarked on a goal to run the 2007 Gold Coast Marathon. ‘Why do you want to put yourself through that much pain?’ people would ask. My answer was simple; ’short term pain, long term gain.’
There were a few reasons why I wanted to run the marathon; curiosity, the enjoyment of running, improving fitness to name a few. However the main reason behind the goal was to experience a sense of achievement to the extent I had never experienced before. For me, this reason alone far outweighed the pain involved in achieving my goal, or at least I thought it would.
The journey started well but it wasn’t long before I encountered some road blocks. Time, sleep, work, nutrition, and injury were issues that presented challenges to my training. Each one took a little chunk out of my motivation as they appeared. I knew these issues would present at some stage but I underestimated the effect they would have. My goal was becoming a distant sight. At one stage my motivation and confidence got so low that I started to doubt myself. I had to do something.
It would have been easy for me to give up at that stage. After all, I did have plenty of excuses to fall back on. Instead I decided to give myself to the process for a few weeks. During this time I focused on the little things that were in my control and made sure I did them. I broke my goals down into smaller more manageable tasks. A run 4 times per week, eat 5 meals per day, get to bed at the same time every night were some of the goals that I set myself. I didn’t let myself get caught up in specifics and I didn’t let anything get in my way. I just did it. At the end of the week I noticed a significant shift in my thinking and motivation.
With each achievement of these smaller goals I could feel momentum gathering, and it felt good. I continued with the same method for the next few weeks. The momentum grew from week to week and I could feel my confidence and motivation growing with it. Before long I gained sight of my goal again, I felt in control once more. A few weeks later I crossed the finish line and experienced a sense of achievement like no other. My goal was complete.
No matter how big or small your goals are, you will always face challenges. Some you can prepare for whereas others can appear from nowhere, to sap your motivation and confidence. It is the way you respond to these challenges that will shape your experience and eventual outcome. Try being more mindful of the times when you are lacking motivation and focus on the small things to help pull you out of it. You’ll be amazed at how much your confidence can grow by taking small steps. If you can string enough small steps together, you too can run your marathon.
- by Alister Murray