DAY 86: Morning Motivation- Lou’s 3 Questions

I’ve always been a fan of Lou Holtz. Besides having led Notre Dame to a National Championship, I have always respected Coach Holtz for the way he conducts himself as a person. He is a very simple man, and this simplicity is what has left such a profound impact on the players he coached and the people he dealt with. His philosophy on success was very simple. He said:

“The answers to three questions will determine your success or failure:

1. Can people trust you to do your best?
2. Are you committed to the task at hand?
3. Do you care about other people and show it?

If the answers to all these questions are yes, there is no way you can fail.”

As humans, we love to complicate things, but think about the questions just presented. These are not difficult questions. They are honest questions that reveal much about your character in a one word answer. Coach Holtz believes (as well as I do) that if people can trust you to do your best, if you are committed to the task at hand, and if you care about people and show it, you cannot fail. It is a formula for success.

If people can trust you to do your best, then you must have the discipline to work hard. If you are committed to the task at hand, then you possess the quality of persistence and dedication which will drive you to the finish line. Finally, if you care about others and show it, good things will happen to you because people don’t forget people who care about them. God doesn’t forget people who care about others.

In his latest book, Wins, Losses, and Lessons, Coach Holtz says,

“Hard times will come. They always do. But deep faith, hard work, and unwavering commitment to your goals will turn today’s tragedy into tomorrow’s triumphs.”

Today, honestly answer Coach Holtz’ questions. If you can’t answer yes to all three, think about what you can change in your life that will allow you to do so.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- Lock-out 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Chest press - 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Delt-21’s- 3 sets

Abs

WEEK 13: DAY 85: Morning Motivation- Personal Assessment VI

Now that we are one third through our marathon training, let’s take a moment to chart our progress over the past 12 weeks:

1. Have you given your body a fair chance to improve by staying faithful to your training schedule?
2. Have you given your mind an opportunity to grow by exposing it to motivational/ inspirational material each day?
3. Have you set aside ten minutes each day to reflect and pray in silence?
4. Have you kept a healthy balance in your life between your training and work/ school?
5. Have you kept a healthy balance in your life between your training and your relationships?

Take a few moments to recall how you have addressed each of these questions in your life over the 3 months. Reflect on what you have done well and consider areas where you know you can do better.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 8 mile

Cool down 1 mile

DAY 83: Morning Motivation- “Success Begets Success”

Training to run for a marathon can be very intimidating, especially if this the first time attempting to run a marathon, like myself. As my mileage is small in the beginning of my training, sometimes I can’t help but wonder how in the world I will be ready to run for 26.2 miles, much less run it in a particular time!

I find that the key to positioning yourself to be ready to run a marathon is to just take it a day at a time. I read a great article in Josh Hinds’ “Let’s Talk Motivation” newsletter today, in which he specifically talks about how small actions can make a big difference when training for a marathon. He says, “Success begets success”. What he means by this statement is that each workout is a challenge. If you can concentrate on making today’s workout a success by giving it your all and challenging your mind and body, then you will have an even better chance of performing well tomorrow. Your success today will roll into tomorrow’s workout, creating somewhat of a snowball effect. As your small successes begin to add up over time, you will soon be able to look back and see how much you have progressed as a result of pushing yourself one day at time, or one success at a time.

So don’t focus on 26.2 today. Break it down into small successes. Let time be your ally. As long as you commit the time to improve yourself each day, you will find that your endurance to run will increase greatly over the course of your training.

Make it happen!

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Scull crushers - 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Delt-21’s- 3 sets

Abs

DAY 81: Morning Motivation- The Dash

The shootings that took place at Virginia Tech this week quickly reminded America just how fragile life is. I’ve mentioned before how important it is to take advantage of the present moment because tomorrow is not guaranteed to us. We must live life to its fullest.

In today’s “Positive News Weekly” Newsletter, Dave Boufford reminded me of a great poem that really helps put life into perspective:

The Dash
Copyright 1998 by Linda Ellis

I read of a reverend who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.

He referred to the dates on her tombstone
from the beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came the date
of her birth and spoke of the following date
with tears.

But he said what mattered
most of all was the dash
between those years.

For that dash represents
all the time that she spent alive
on earth.

And now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;
the cars...the house...the cash.

What matters is how we live
and love and how we spend
our dash.

So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you'd like
to change?

For you never know how much time
is left. You could be at dash mid-range.

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger and show
appreciation more and love the people
in our lives like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
and more often wear a smile...
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy's being read,
with your life's actions to rehash,
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent your dash?

What do you want people to say about your dash? Live today. Move forward towards your goals, but enjoy the ride. Take some time to take in your surroundings. Take a good look at today, for today is the best gift God could give us!

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- Lock-out 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Scull crushers - 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Dips- 3 sets

Abs

DAY 80: Morning Motivation- Definition of Persistence

Today I looked up the definition of persistence in the dictionary. Here is what it said:

per·sist (pər-sɪst)–v. 1. To continue firmly and steadfastly despite obstacles. 2. To continue in existence: endure—per·sist’ence, per·sist’ency n. -- per·sist’ent adj. – per·sist’ent·ly adv.

So straightforward—“To continue firmly and steadfastly despite obstacles”. It’s so easy to get distracted and lose sight of our goals in the fast paced world that we live in. Our lives have become so complex and our wheels are spinning so fast that it almost feels like we are no longer in control of what happens to us.

That is why it is so important to constantly remind yourself of what is important to you. Reaffirm your goals today. Post them in a place where you can see them. Continue to persist towards the achievement of your goals.

Today, write down this definition of persistence and put in somewhere where you can see it everyday. Tape it to the side of your computer. Tape it to your bathroom mirror. Read it everyday to remind yourself that in order to achieve your goals, whatever they may be, you must look beyond any obstacles present and continue “firmly and steadfastly”.

Continue to persist. Make it happen.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 3 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 79: Morning Motivation- ‘Persistent’ Practice Makes Perfect

“That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

When I was growing up playing little league baseball, I always heard the cliché “Practice makes perfect”. The basis behind this saying is that the more you practice a particular task, the better you will get at it. However, I think this saying would be more accurate if it said “Persistent practice makes perfect”.

While practice did help me to improve my baseball skills as a child, I did not develop into a complete baseball player in one practice. It was the repetition of practices every day over the summer that helped me develop my ability to play the game. Sometimes, my team would practice twice a day. With frequent practice, my teammates and I were able to adapt to the areas of the game in which we were struggling, be it fielding, hitting, baserunning, etc.

As Emerson said in the above quote, the nature of the activity never changed. It was by our persistence in practice that we were able to develop our skill to excel.

The same persistence can be applied to running. As I mentioned yesterday, each workout builds upon the previous workout, so by persistently staying on schedule, you are climbing closer and closer to achieving your full potential each day. Often I get competitive with myself and try to beat times I had previously run. Sometimes I set new personal records, and sometimes I finish a little slower than before. The most important thing is that I complete my workout because with each step I take forward, I am better preparing my body (and mind) for the endurance that will be necessary to run 26.2 miles.

As you continue to train, look back every once in a while to see how you have improved along the way. Notice that each day you are performing the same task (running), but yet you are getting better and better. Its not the task that has changed. It is you improving with each workout!

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Incline Bench - 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Dips- 3 sets

Abs

WEEK 12: DAY 78: Morning Motivation- Small Action, Big Difference

Have you ever struggled to get a workout in because you reasoned that missing just one workout ultimately wouldn’t make a difference? Well I have a story for you:

The Starfish Story
By Loren Eiseley

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."

You see, it is the small actions that make such a big difference! You may not see the fruits of your small efforts immediately, but each small action you take is putting you in a better position to succeed. Each small action build upon the last action, so today’s workout is building off of yesterday’s workout. Tomorrow’s workout will build off of today’s workout.

It’s kind of like of brick. The finished product is the result of putting hundreds of bricks together. Without even one brick, the house would be incomplete. The same goes for your workouts- without one day of training, your progress towards achieving your full potential would be incomplete. And when a day passes, it is gone forever, so make the most of today. Go out and enjoy the fresh. Have fun!

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 4 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 74: Morning Motivation- Cause and Effect

Today in Josh Hinds’ “Let’s Talk Motivation” Newsletter, I read an article by Gary Schoeniger about the law of cause and effect. The basis of the article was that the law of cause and effect forces us to take responsibility for our actions. For the most part, we create our own circumstances by the choices we make. Schoeniger says:

“Once we accept this self-evident truth, all things become possible.”

If you want to produce the result of running a particular time for your marathon, then you have to create the cause which produces this effect. In other words, if you have desired time you are striving for, you have to put in the time and effort now in order to put yourself in a position to accomplish such a goal. Your results are proportional to your efforts. Make the effort today. Create your own circumstance for success. Take each day one step at a time, and build a foundation that can’t help but meet success!

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- Lock-out 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Chest Press - 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Dips- 3 sets

Abs

DAY 73: Morning Motivation- Expect the Best

I apologize for the lack of communication over the past couple of days. I went home for Easter, and I did not have an internet connection. I hope you had an enjoyable weekend. Let’s get back to today’s Morning Motivaiton…

I always love sitting in my dad’s office. It is full of positive reinforcement. He has filled the walls of his office with words of wisdom from hundreds of people who have had an influence on him. When I step into his office, I feel as if my motivational batteries get recharged.

On this particular visit to my dad’s office, I ran into a short passage on his wall entitled “Expect the Best”. I do not know where he got this passage, not do I know who wrote it, but it portrays just the attitude we need to have when we wake up each morning. Here it is:

“What’s exciting about life is that every morning offers a brand-new day with unlimited possibilities. Yesterday’s mistakes and regrets belong to yesterday. Today is a clean slate, a chance to start over, to do or become anything you want, a chance to go for it! So, jump into life with both feet! Go forward, head held high, expecting the best… you may be surprised at how often that’s exactly what you’ll get.”

When I saw this passage, I immediately took it from my dad’s wall and made a copy for myself. Each day is a new opportunity to do great things. I like looking at each day as a “clean slate” because yesterday’s mistakes are behind us. We can’t change them. We can only learn from them and apply this new wisdom as we write another page in our life today. If yesterday was great, today is a chance to build on that greatness, to climb even higher towards your goals.

If you expect great things, great things will happen. It is kind of like the movie “Field of Dreams” from which comes the famous line “If you build it, they will come.” If you build a foundation for success, success will come. Continue to build your foundation through your workouts, putting in the sweat and hard work necessary and developing the attitude you need to persist to the finish line. Expect the best from yourself.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 4 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 67: Morning Motivation- Vision: Make It Happen

"I know the price of success: dedication, hard work and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen."

-Frank Lloyd Wright

If there’s any one occupation that knows about the power of vision, it is the artist. An artist’s success depends entirely on his or her ability to see a work of art in his or her mind before it is constructed. Particularly with abstract artwork like the works of Picasso, similarities to such artistic scenes do not exist in the real world, so making these abstract scenes a reality requires much focus on the mind’s ability to envision a future outcome.

Just as an artist cannot succeed without envisioning their completed artwork, we too, no matter what profession or activity we partake in, cannot succeed without developing a clear vision of the outcome we desire. In order to achieve the results you are working towards, you must be able to picture our success in your mind.

Imagine what you want. Imagine with as much detail as you can. Make it so real that you can feel the emotions of success when you think about it. The more real you make it, the more likely you are to achieve it. Think about it daily, maybe for just a few minutes in the morning and a few minutes at night. Keep your vision of success fresh in your mind.

Envision success. Make it happen.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- Lck-out 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Scull-crushers - 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Chest Press- 3 sets

Abs

DAY 66: Morning Motivation- Strength in Purpose

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will."

-Mahatma Gandhi

Today in my philosophy class, we continued watching the movie “Chariots of Fire”. As I mentioned last week, the movie is about two British runners, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. In one part of the movie, Eric refuses to run in the qualifying heat for the 100 meter run because it is on Sunday, the Sabbath. A number of influential British bureaucrats try to talk him into running on Sunday to show his loyalty for his country, but Eric says he will not put his country before God. Eric said that he runs to honor God. His service to God is his greater purpose in life, greater than one race. As a solution to Eric’s dilemma, one of his teammates gives up his spot in the 400 meter run so that Eric does not have to run on Sunday.

At the conclusion of this scene, the Duke of Southerland pulls Lord Birkenhead aside and makes that comment that he was glad that Eric had not given in to running on Sunday, although it would have been good for England. He says, “The ‘lad’, as you call him, is a true man of principles and a true athlete. His speed is a mere extension of his life, its force. We sought to sever his running from himself.”

Running is only a small part of your whole life. Therefore, if you intend to excel in running through discipline and persistence, you must make it a habit to apply discipline and persistence to all areas of your life. Eric’s strength wasn’t in his physical appearance. Eric’s strength was in his dedication to his purpose in life. Eric had a clear view as to why he was put hear on Earth, and he intended to use his talents to the best of his ability to honor God.

I think the worst feeling in the world is losing one’s sense of purpose. When concentrating on such a concrete goal as a single race, one can easily lose focus of the big picture. We focus so intently on finishing the race that, once it’s over, we have nothing else to work towards. The key is to keep the “big picture” in mind, your mission here on earth. Frequently remind yourself why you are training. It is much easier to train when you are motivated by a worthwhile purpose. When you keep focus on your purpose, your inner strength will push you farther than you’ve ever gone before.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 4 miles

Cool down ½ mile

DAY 65: Morning Motivation- Born to Win

"You were born to win, but to be a winner you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win."

-Zig Ziglar

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Bench Press- 4 sets

Curls- 3 sets

Incline Bench- 3 sets

Pullups- 3 sets

Row- 3 sets

Abs

DAY 64: Daily Reflection

I had a great start to my day today by running seven miles. After running the Holy Half Marathon last weekend, I realized that long runs are going to be lonely and more difficult if I have to run them by myself. Fortunately for me, one of my friends decided to sign up for the Chicago Marathon, so I got to run my seven miles with him this morning. It really made my run so much more enjoyable because we were able to push each other when we were struggling.

When we finished our run, we cooled down and stretched by the Grotto. It was very pleasant stretching there because we could here the singing from the Palm Sunday Procession taking place nearby.

WEEK 10: DAY 64: Morning Motivation- Major League Discipline

“Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan. The key is discipline. Without it, there is no morale.”

-Tom Landry

Today is opening night for baseball season. I love baseball. I love it not just because I have one particular team that I am rooting to win it all, but because of the nature of the game. It is a game of perseverance. It is a game of discipline. Each team has to stay focused for 162 games over the course of six months in order to be successful. At the beginning of each season, every team sets their sight on winning their division and ultimately winning the World Series. However only two teams end up in the World Series, and one team emerges as World Champion.

I’m discounting the value of goal setting, for I believe it is an essential element to achieving one’s dreams. However, once goals have been set, the challenge arises not in the attainability of your goal, but in your discipline to stay focused and accomplish the small tasks that you need to complete in order to move yourself closer to achieving your goal. That is what makes baseball great. The length of the season weeds out the truly disciplined teams from the weaker and less focused teams. Each game is important to a team’s overall success, so they must play a game in May with the same focus and intensity as they will in September when the division is on the line.

As we enter our tenth week, the weekly mileage is gradually increasing, and this increase in distances doesn’t exactly make one want to jump out of bed and go running. You have a well laid out plan to achieve your goal of running a marathon. Stick with your plan. Stay disciplined. Don’t let your body think for your mind by talking you out of your workouts. Today, maintain the same focus you will have as when the race is only a week away. Do what needs to be done when it needs to be done, and you will feel more satisfied with yourself once you are finished.

TODAY’S WORKOUT:

Warm-up 1 mile

Run 7 miles

Cool down ½ mile