Man, I Don't Feel Like Doing This

Some days, you shouldn't run.  Maybe you turned your ankle and it's still a little suspect.  Or you have a bad cold and didn't sleep much the night before.  Or there's just no way to squeeze in a run around important events, like a family member's wedding or vacation travel.  And that's OK.

But then there are the runs we miss for no reason.  The "I don't feel like it" days.  The "I'll run extra the rest of the week" days.  The days when we talk ourselves out of running (the weather is supposed to be better tomorrow, I've got a bad headache, if I skip this one I could use the time to catch up on things around the house...).

So why don't we run?  We know we should, especially if there's a race coming up.  But then again, we all know that we should set aside money in savings, eat healthier, watch less TV, floss several times per day, etc.  We know the benefits, we know what happens if we don't do certain things.  So why aren't we all thing, fast, in perfect health with a bank account that will let us retire at 55?

I closed out the last post promising to talk about what's getting in our way.  Well it doesn't take a deep look to see that WE are getting in our way.  All of our lives are full of barriers, things that make it harder to do the stuff you want or need to do.

So what is keeping us from running consistently?  I think as a runner, active barriers are harder to identify because there are less things physically causing us to take a day off.  The weather is an active barrier - cold, rainy, or too hot, or whatever, the weather can push us towards skipping a workout.  But what else is there really?  It isn't as if someone is physically keeping us from walking out the door - you don't wake up tied to a chair with a sign in front of you that says, "Sorry, no run today".

Passive barriers (or at least the appearance of passive barriers in our minds) are plentiful.  It is very easy to come up with a million things that I don't have, but feel I need in order to accomplish certain things.  I'd love to write a book, but when I start thinking about it, the passive barriers pop up immediately - I don't have a good idea for a book, I don't have the time to write one, I don't know what to do after writing it.  These are things I don't have, but feel I need, to reach a goal.  And not one of them is legit.  No time to write a book?  I've found time to write 2 blog posts a week all year, I find time for certain TV shows every week, and it's not as if I spend all of my spare time keeping up with the housework. 

No, most of our passive barriers are the result of lies.  We all lie to ourselves, all the time.  Sometimes it's not your fault, you're being pushed into it unknowingly (do you eat enough vegetables?  Really?)  But most of the time, we lie out of convenience.  It is almost always easier to NOT do something, and then justify it, than it is to just suck it up and do it.

So what are you lying about?  What passive barriers are you letting keep you from your goals as a runner?  Here's where the cause and effect comes in.  The effect is skipping a run.  Think about the last one you skipped.  Now play the 5 Whys game:

I didn't run, why?
I was behind schedule that morning, why?
I slept an extra 20 minutes, why?
I stayed up late watching Netflix.  Notice, I didn't even need 5 of them this time!

Do this for a few missed runs, and look at the actions that eventually led to skipping the workout.  Most of this will seem obvious and easy to fix, right?  But then, if it was easy, wouldn't we all be slim, rich, Hollywood good looking and preparing for early retirement?


Next time, I'll talk about willpower (which doesn't exist), and how we can overcome barriers - not by hitting them head on, but by creating our own barriers against failure.


Since my most loyal follower Hugh Jass over at tin can treader is feeling some stress about upcoming events, I'll leave you with the most important link I've ever posted on here, James Altucher's blog.  Mr. Altucher is a genius.  Not you're run of the mill, lab coat and chalk board genius.  Not a Rubik's cube in 10 seconds genius.  James Altucher is a Steve Jobs type of genius, the only difference being that he is more concerned with his own personal happiness than changing the world.  If you follow even half of his ideas (which often sound half-baked at first glance), you should come away healthier, happier, and more successful than you've ever been.  Even if you don't (I'm still getting around to execution, perhaps I need to install some barriers to help out), just a quick read of a few of his posts will leave you feeling empowered, maybe even a little bit invincible.