Mind and Body

Greatness is not normal.  Not in the sense that greatness is abnormal or weird.  It is more a comparison of common vs uncommon.  To attain what is uncommon, you must be willing to do what common people aren't willing to do; to endure what they won't.  Do you want to know how you know you are on the right track?  If you tell someone what you did and their first reaction is "you're crazy" or they ask "why?".  If they need to ask why, don't bother explaining because they wouldn't understand.

How many times have we heard someone say "you should listen to your body"?  Reply back "no, my body listens to me."  I liken the relationship between the mind and the body to that of a parent and a child.  A child will often ask for things that it wants, whether it be a new toy, ice cream before dinner, or permission to stay up late.  The parent knows that this is not in the child's best interest in terms of growth and development, and therefore must say no from time to time.  Similarely, the body will get tired and want to rest.  Just as a child only has the short term in mind, the body is also short-sighted.  The body sees that it is tired at that moment and therefore wants rest.  The mind, mindful of the bigger picture--the ultimate goal--must at that moment decide whether giving into the body's request is in the best interest when it comes to the pursuit of the ultimate goal.  Most of the time, your mind should be saying to press on, but sometimes, rest is in the best interest to prevent injury, which would result in a greater setback in your pursuit of the ultimate goal.

I have often said "Sometimes I train my body to be strong, and sometimes I train it to be obedient."  Yes, this will result in your body feeling less than 100%.  This is just your body throwing a temper tantrum.  Are you going to be that strong parent that sticks to your guns?  Or will you give in?  This is all part of the mental battle.  The funny thing about your body is that it has no memory, and will quickly forgive you when the tempest has settled.  I don't have children of my own, so I cannot speak intelligently on whether children are the same way.  I am hoping so in the interest of reinforcing the analogy (and for my own sake when that day does come when I do have children).

I am going to revert back to my previous post about the captain and the red shirt.  Despite the fact that your body isn't feeling the best, often times you need to "fake it".  Resist the urge to jump to conclusions here.  I am not saying that you should go through the motions.  Quite the opposite.  No matter how you feel on the inside, always appear on the outside like nothing is wrong.  I guarantee that someone else is feeling the same way, just as bad as you, and will see how you respond, and they will respond accordingly.  Someone else is looking to you, relying on you and your reaction to find the inner strength to press on, and as exhausted as you are, and as much as you don't want to press on, you are not alone.  Many before you have felt the same way, or worse, and many before you have overcome those feelings.

The difference between silver and gold, between winners and champions, is that champions are sore BEFORE they get to the gym.