Ha Ha..... got to add 6 miles to my biking today. My wife and I went out for a short ride before it got dark. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Since today is rest day for me I thought it would be good to use this a a mental preperation day. Here is a great inspirational writing by Ryan Hall...Hope you take the time to read it!
by ryanhall | Sep 23, 2010 |
Dealing with disappointment is a life skill we all have to learn, and I hope that these words can encourage you through your trials as they have for me. After having a poor performance in this past Sunday’s ING Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon I had a lot to think about, perhaps too much to think about. From my own experiences, I have found that it doesn’t help me to go overly introspective. While I do believe it is not only good, but imperative, to get fresh perspective on a daily and even moment-by-moment basis, I see gaining perspective as much different than questioning oneself. We all experience nagging questions of whether we have what it takes, but I choose to believe the answer to these is “Yes, I doâ€.
As long as my focus is on what I am going after–and not on my own failures–I can rest assured that I am moving in this direction. What are you focused on in your life? Because whatever you focus on will increase. There is a really good verse that says, “as a man thinks in his heart, so he is.†Are you focused on things you don’t like about yourself and things you want to change? If you are, chances are those things will continue to be issues. Or are you focused on what you want to become? Little by little, this will result in a transformation into the vision.
Of course, the challenge becomes how do we deal with times (like this past Sunday for me) when we aren’t anywhere near where we want to be? First, do not doubt yourself. I really, really believe there is greatness in us all. Focus on that greatness and let it draw you out toward it. Secondly, realize that there are natural physical factors at play. I am still learning how to be in the best physical condition I can be in heading to the starting line. The temptation when I am physically off is to blame the performance on my mental processes, and there is undoubtedly a correlation between the physical and the mental. The two compliment each other well but there is only so much the mind can do to increase performance when the body is off and vice versa.
Dwell on what you want to become. Daydream about it, focus on it, and acknowledge with thankfulness every step you take toward that vision. Most importantly, when you are in those times (like I currently find myself in) where it takes the most amount of faith to believe that you can become the vision you have for yourself, realize that these times are the most powerful opportunities to focus on what we want to become. Continue to move in that direction because it requires the most faith. In times like these, we can drive a stake deep into our soul declaring this vision that we have for ourselves is where we are going regardless of how far we may feel from it. For I firmly believe that we were created so that which we dwell on will surely increase.
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