Final Push: How to Rally Yourself To a Win

“It always seems impossible, until it’s done.” (Nelson Mandela)

I’ve always admired marathon runners, like my sister who was not a runner until she ran her first marathon in NYC at the age of 40. I have a couple friends that are ultra-marathoners, running 50K or 100K at a time... mind-blowing.

I’m not a runner; I only run if chased. But, we can apply lesson from these extreme examples of pushing beyond your limits - mentally and physically - to help achieve more in our everyday lives.

David Goggins is a retired Navy SEAL, an ultra-marathon runner, ultra-distance cyclist, triathlete and the current world record holder for the most pull-ups done in 24 hours. Publicly, he often references something called the 40% Rule. It’s a tactic used by SEALs to bolster mental toughness. The premise is, when your mind is telling you you’re done, you’re really only 40% done. There is always more in the tank. It’s a powerful concept to illustrate how you need to get uncomfortable in order to grow - in anything you do in life. 

The notion that we can achieve more than we realize is powerful. In fact, I have found having the right mental outlook can be the most critical component to achieving a goal. Here are a few tools I use to break through:

You have to see it to be it. You have to be able to envision what success looks like in order to achieve it. As a competitive gymnast growing up, I found that visualization exercises were often as important as the physical strength. You have to be mentally prepared for the task at hand and see a way to a positive outcome. Sometimes our own mental blocks or limitations hold us back from achieving our full potential. Think big.

One step at a time. If you reach your goal on the first try, you simply weren’t aiming high enough. Commit to the long haul and never be discouraged; keep taking small steps forward and celebrate milestones along the way. As a gymnast, I did thousands of repetitions to perfect new skills - suffering injuries, failures and fatigue along the way, but I never quit. Will power, determination and resilience are some of the most critical traits to achieving great things.

Stay positive.  A positive attitude makes all the difference. Once you start to think you can’t do something, you lose. Avoiding or stopping negative self-talk is much harder than it sounds. Use facts and focus on what you can control to appropriately size and diagnose corrective actions. Don’t make a small set-back a big deal. Take a break, breathe and come back if you need to. Over the long haul, positive people achieve more.

You can achieve more than you realize. Over 90% of people who start running a marathon finish it. Think of your career path as a long-distance adventure – complete with goals and heartbreaks. Time to push forward and show yourself what you can do with the 60% you’ve got left. 

#FinalPush