Prove Yourself Wrong

I kicked off a new email series about mindset. In the first email I defined MINDSET as the story you tell yourself. If you missed the first email click hereto read it.

I want to take this a step further today and use a personal example.

Growing up I was like most normal kids who fell in love with fast food. McDonalds, Taco Bell and Burger King to name a few. These meals became common in my home and I loved it. You give me a quarter pounder with cheese and french fries with a coke and I was in heaven.

This led to weight gain and by the time I was in junior high I found myself to be overweight and slow. I ran my first 40 yard dash in 7th grade while trying out for the football team. I ran the second slowest time at 7 seconds. I was slower than the heaviest guy on the team. This time along with my athletic abilities at the time landed me on the B team. Only to ooooh and awww at the mighty men on the A team.

Fast forward a few years and I proved to be a decent football player landing a starting position on the varsity football team by my senior year. A little stronger and a little faster but not much. I hated working out and I loved junk food…bad combination. Can you relate?

The story I told myself about myself all through my teenage years was that I was overweight and out of shape AND that I hated working out. I definitely did not consider myself a runner. I hated running…at least that is what I told myself.

I proved myself wrong.

In February of 2000 I went out on a 2 mile run that forever changed my life. I was 242 pounds and could barely run a block before walking. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was in pain the next day. It hurt. But I did it again and again and again. Eventually I could run the entire two miles without stopping.

Fast forward to today. I just completed my second Ironman triathlon last weekend. This race ends with a marathon. I love running. Let me repeat that in case you missed it.

I LOVE RUNNING.

Who is right? The teenage version of me who hated running and said over and over in his head that he is not a runner of the 41 year old me who loves running and says in his head over and over how good of a runner he is? Both are right. And guess what…it is up to me to program these thoughts. I changed my story.

Are you familiar with limiting beliefs?

I will end this email with sharing this thought with you. What are the things you tell yourself over and over in your head about yourself that are either discouraging you or not helping you reach your goals? These negative thoughts about yourself are the things you need to write down and share. I wrote about this in my last email. Write this on paper and get it out of your head. In your head it feels like it will not ever change. Write it down and read it then prove yourself wrong.

I believe in you. I believe in you so much that you can do anything you set your mind to. If you have a negative belief about yourself and would like to share it with me message me. I would love to help you take the first step to prove yourself wrong.

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