I remember wanting to run, desiring to run, even planning and believing I’d run! All my attempts, and plans and wishes didn’t achieve the goal!
Too often, great plans and big talk stifle the simple action needed to achieve the goal! Do we need more motivation? A challenge or dare? Definitely not another new year’s resolution!
The magical energy already resides inside of us, yet we fail to tap into its abundant supply. What is this energy, and what ignites it? What sparks the first flame that continues to grow into a roaring fire? What will turn your potential energy into kinetic energy?
Potential is energy at rest; kinetic is energy in motion doing amazing and wonderful things! “All moving things have kinetic energy. It is energy possessed by an object due to its motion or movement. These include very large things, like planets, and very small ones, like atoms. The heavier a thing is, and the faster it moves, the more kinetic energy it has.”
The energy inside of us is our “why”, our picture of how rewarding the future can be! It may be getting healthy to better your ability to play with the kids, learning to swim so you can finally conquer that triathlon, or calling a distant relative to redeem a relationship. The activity itself is often not the obstacle.
Anxiety, fear, and guilt are often the greatest obstacles and present serious roadblocks for sure; however, by planning to overcome these ever present barriers, we begin to move from the comfort of potential to an awesome kinetic energy!
Let’s take these one at a time.
Anxiety is often due to past failure, or the lack of know how in starting a new behavior or exercise. Often, gym memberships are under utilized due to uncertainty of speeds, reps, weight, etc, or the “out of place” mentality one feels surrounded by fit athletes. Perhaps the thought of everyone else setting indoors while you’re the only one jogging your neighborhood streets stops you. Whatever is causing the anxiety has to be dealt with head on. Chances are, you get to the gym, start small and work out for a short period of time and then, looking up, you realize a bunch of us aren’t as fit as the ole’ brain made you think, and we’re there for the same reason. Who knows, maybe someone even smiles and encourages you!
Guilt may be the most dangerous. It’s the thought of that coach or workout buddy you let down in the past, or the new year’s resolution to call that distant relative that you’ve failed at for two years straight. Guilt is the baggage of yesterday’s defeat. Guilt holds yesterday’s unfinished business over your head while tying today’s noose. Notate yesterday’s defeats into a mental pad, learn from them, and then file the note. Clear the slate every night and be ready start writing success each morning. Denis Waitley says it perfectly, “Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end…”
Fear! Say fear of water has kept you from swimming, or fear of what others may think of you spending time at the Y. If it’s a dream you really want, then make it a goal, and next time you’re driving home, stop at the Y and ask how to get started. Look at the budget and perhaps replace the fast food with sandwich items so you can invest in the Y – in you! Start in three, then four foot of water, and so on. Go to training each week and practice those strokes.
Overcome these obstacles with your “why”! Put a picture of your kids on your mirror, and then a pic of your walking shoes just below it and say to anxiety, or fear, or guilt, “You’re toast!!”
The magic is the start! Just go. Make that list, take one step at a time, and celebrate each time you check a completed action or checkpoint off! Spark that flame that begins a roaring fire within. Trigger that energy (your “why”), and move from a potential dreamer to a daily kinetic doer and achiever!
igniting energy…tim