In the book, Kara talks about 8 confidence techniques that have helped her throughout her career. I loved how she said that there wasn't a single "Magic Bullet" technique, that changed everything, but all 8 at different times (and using them often...daily) have changed the outcomes of her races BECAUSE IT CHANGED HER PERSPECTIVE AND TRAINING (which affect the outcomes!).
The first technique is POSITIVE SELF TALK! Nothing that any of you haven't heard of before. It seems so simple and easy enough to do, but then...why aren't we doing it? Or maybe we are doing it wrong, or not enough. Let's find out some little "GOLDEN" nuggets that Kara shares with us (pages 44-55). Read or re-read those pages to be inspired on some things that will help you!
Here are just a couple of things that have affected me!
1. Focus on things you can control! Tell yourself things that help you in a positive way...THAT YOU CAN DO IN THE MOMENT! How many times have we talked ourselves out of something because we felt or thought inadequate? We didn't run as far as we could have, or we didn't try to hit the times because it seemed impossible, or we didn't believe we belonged! These and many more are simply thoughts and feelings that tend to "control" us, but we have the power to change that! I love the story that she shares about her 2012 marathon trials race and her experience. Go read it on pg. 48.
2. What we say to ourselves has an incredible impact! In Kara's words..."The happiest, most successful athletes are PURPOSEFUL WITH THEIR INNER DIALOGUE." This means they use positive self talk to CHANGE things that work for them instead of bringing them down (trust us, there are plenty of things that will just naturally bring you down). She gives 3 strategies to improve your "inner voice."
3. Last one was simply a quote that her Sport Psychologist said to her. "THERE ARE A MILLION THINGS TELLING YOU THAT YOU CAN'T KEEP GOING, BUT IF YOU FIND THE THINGS THAT SAY YOU CAN, YOU'RE GOLDEN!"
Find the things that keep you going! It's not easy, and there are definitely plenty of days or moments that slip away from us because we feel like we don't belong, or are injured, or not the fastest on the team, or accidentally slept in, or are newer...honestly, all are just negative excuses! Of course those things happen and it's ok if they do, BUT WHAT MATTERS IS WHAT YOU DO AFTER THAT HAPPENS! CHANGE WHAT YOU SAY AND WHAT YOU SAY TO YOURSELF! AND YOU AREGOLDEN!
We missed those of you who weren't able to make it to the Stansbury Island run on Saturday. But I had the chance to try out a new toy I got (a drone), and took some fun video of you guys running. I decided to make a quick little video of it. I wasn't able to get everyone that came (I biked around the island and came up the back side, so I missed some of you who turned back a little earlier)...I am sorry I couldn't get everyone, but hopefully you will remember the great things you accomplished and those who weren't able to come, hopefully you will be inspired to keep going after it and ALL OF US WANTING MORE!
If you haven't had a chance to get the book (or earn the book...start putting your workouts on strava), then please talk to me...I want to give you one! This book (like all the books we like to give you), have some really amazing insight and help, to get us over the "humps", the obstacles, the challenges of running and life! This book called STRONG from 2 time Olympian Kara Goucher, is a very simple read but full of little positive reminders that YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH AND THAT YOU BELONG (that you are BIF WIT!).
The title of the post today comes from the PREFACE of the book. Kara was trying to make her 3rd Olympics and as she pondered the night before the start of the race, she had thoughts go through her head like any of us have..."Look at all of them, they have beaten you before"..."they've been on the podium. And then there's you." She sat down on her bed and pulled out her "CONFIDENCE JOURNAL." As she looked at it (she didn't even look inside to see what she wrote), she just smiled and and told herself..."YOU BET THERE IS ME!" It wasn't a fairytale ending for her...she ended up taking 4th (1 spot out of the olympics), and even though it hurt to be so close, yet so far away, she wrote in her confidence journal, "I didn't make the cut. But I made darn sure the top 3 earned it!"
IT'S WORTH TAKING THE MOMENT (WIT: Worth It Together!)! We might think or feel that we simply aren't good enough or that we don't BELONG, or that it's a long shot...and truthfully, maybe it is a long shot, but I would much rather look back on all of this and KNOW THAT I TOOK A CHANCE ON MYSELF...ON MY TEAM! YOU BETTER BELIEVE THAT THERE IS YOU!!!!!!! So go do something about it! Don't leave it up to chance...take the MOMENT and work at it ONE DAY AT A TIME! You have already begun the process...take that leap of FAITH and take the next step...because it is in YOU!
You may have heard the saying..."Go Big or Go Home." I want to "go big"...I want to go after something bigger and better than myself, but I feel the better way to say this would be to
"Go Big or at least be Going."
Life tends to make us feel like we are not good enough or strong enough, or fast enough, or even special enough. WE ARE HERE TO TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE!
When we start a new journey or aim for a goal, we obviously want to be REALISTIC about what we are shooting for...we need to know it's worth going after. We also need to lean more towards the side of "Dreaming" versus "that's not possible". "That's not possible" will only tell us that we aren't good enough or that it seems so far-fetched, what's the point in shooting for that. "Dreaming Big"might lead us to have a false sense of reality and be more about "talk" and not really the ACTION. SO WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT?
Just like the title says...BALANCE! What we can tell you is that it is worth taking the chance to Dream Big...but with the reality of putting forth the work, doing what it takes, taking a chance on yourself and each other, putting in the time, recognizing what the sacrifices are (and if they are worth it to you to do)...it just simply requires that you BALANCE all the GREAT things that you want to go after with good choices, and recognize that Dreaming Big with your goals WILL ONLY LEAD TO GREATNESS! If we are only Dreaming just a little, it leads to being comfortable and even possibly being mediocre. This very thought stood out to me while reading our book (the book you can receive most likely this week if you get on strava and put in your workouts, and make sure your miles are on the blog), and while thinking about HARC. At HARC, our final run is called "the Impossible Run." The run was started about 6-7 years ago. It was a challenge to go beyond what we thought we were capable of...after already doing a tough week of running and then throw at you guys, a run that required more than you thought you could do! Every single time, EVERYONE exceeded what seemed Impossible! Why would we want to look at anything else that matters to us, any differently in life? Either it's Possible or it's not...and if it matters to you, the question doesn't have to be "how is it possible" but rather,
"WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE!"
There is nothing wrong with "Dreaming Big" and BALANCING that with reality...what we want to avoid is not believing we are capable of tough things...goals that seem "impossible"...telling ourselves we aren't good enough. YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH!YOU ARE WORTH IT! YOU ARE CAPABLE!YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH!YOU BELONG! Just work a little more at Dreaming the POSSIBLE! And if you don't feel quite "enough" yet...at least keep Dreaming!
BHF WIT!
This video was about soccer, but the song was a good reminder of getting out of the comfort zone (your so called "lane"), and realizing there is more!
