If you have ever found yourself wondering why you give up so easily, you are not alone.
The experience of finishing a tough conditioning workout disappointed is a common one. Knowing you could have pushed through a little more, but in the moment, decided not to.
When the going got tough, you got to resting.
If this ever happens to you, I want to give you something to try this week.
Most people ask me about this, assuming they have some sort of psychological bug in their system. A mental weakness. And yet, when I give them this drill to do, they find themselves well able to push through and endure all sorts of awful.
So, here’s the drill.
Start by noticing three changes that will likely happen when you start working out.
Your heart rate will elevate. Your body temperature will increase. Your muscles will start to burn.
In my experience, when you give up too easily, you have become unconsciously over-reactive to these sensations.
Unconscious, because you probably didn’t think too much about taking a rest. You felt things. You didn’t like it. You stopped. It’s hard to pick out exactly where a decision took place. The cacophony of signals rushing to the brain (heat, breathing, pain) triggered an automated response….return everything to baseline.
Over-reactive, because you would likely be able to endure (and have plenty of times before) much worse than what caused you to stop today. Think about the highest your HR you have ever sustained. Or the worst possible muscle burn you have experienced. Or how you sat in that sauna for 5 minutes, no problem. You can do this, you have done this.
The drill is to take this knowledge and use it to your advantage. To become consciously under-reactive.
Do this by switching your goal for the day from completing the task (the workout) to dialling up the internal sensations in the body.
And then, get curious.
How much muscle discomfort can a I actually endure here?
How long can I sustain this HR for?
Can I accept the elevated body temp and not fight it.
This can become a game within the game.
Even if it delays your rest periods by a couple of reps each time, this work-to-rest ratio will quickly turn in your favour.
As a result, your fitness will quickly start to transform.
You are also teaching yourself that you are no longer the person who gives up too easily.
You’re the one who knows their limits because you’ve actually gone looking for them.
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