Just Do It

Nike had it straight when they came up with this gem:

just-do-it-hed-2013

By now, this tagline is cliche. But, think about it this line as if it were fresh, and recognize how powerful the sentiment is.

You have a goal that requires hard work. Sometimes, you might not want to do this work. Other times, the work might seem too hard – too far outside your comfort zone. In another moment, there might be fear or anxiety about the uncertainty that comes with training and racing toward bigger and bigger dreams.

Think about those moments in light of this line.

Now, just do it.

While this tagline captures a simple idea, it is not always easy to execute in practice, is it? We have excuses that will get in the way, such as:

No one has the time. They make the time for what is important.
No one has the time. They make the time for what is important.

I’m too busy. 

I’m too tired. 

I don’t know how. 

It’s too hard. 

I can’t do that. 

I’m scared to do that. 

[Insert your favorite variation here…]

I know I struggle with these voices that try to counter the call to Just Do It.

I work a full-time job, and I run a growing business. I have a full family and social life. I want to cry when the workout seems harder than what I’ve got inside to handle it. I like to sleep and have considerable distaste for anything that takes away from my sleep. Really: don’t mess with my sleep. Ever.

But, time and again, I remind myself of my goals, my big dreams, and what I care about. And, time and time again, I find a way to make the training work. Why? I actually do enjoy the training, and my dreams are important to me.

At some point, we all come to that moment when we have to make a choice.

  • Wake up and train–or sleep in?
  • Bring the gym bag to work with us so we can go train right after work–or just skip it?
  • Eat lunch on the fly so we can do a mid-day session–or let work consume us?
  • Take time to work on our mental training–or assume it will magically come together on race day?
  • Make nutrition choices that fuel our performance and training–or convince ourselves that food choices aren’t a part of our progress?

In the moment we make any one of these types of choices, we find our priorities.

I realize that endurance sport is not the main priority for most of us (wait, or is it?!). Of course, our families are our first priority. And, our jobs are important too (I guess….;)). But, in most cases, we can strike a balance.

If your goals in endurance sport are important to you, then you will find a way to get the training done. You will creatively configure your life to ensure you are up before the sun shines to fit in your morning swim. You’ll eat lunch on the fly so your can do a mid-day run. Maybe you will even bring your bike and trainer to your kids’ soccer game so you can support her athletics and your own at the same time. (I have a friend who has done this very thing!)

This balance means that some training will have to be creatively re-organized. I coach a squad of EXTREMELY busy people. (This sport does tend to attract the type…) Their schedules can make my head spin sometimes. We’ve done plenty of creative tinkering to ensure the work gets done. And, it does get done. Do you know why?

They Just Do It.

How can you make sure you get the work done?

Here are some of my top tips:

Screen shot 2015-08-07 at 7.57.46 AM
Screenshot of one week this summer. I use Outlook and color code events. In the summer, I have a flexible schedule. Once school starts again, this schedule gets much more packed–and tricky.
  1. Create a weekly schedule.
    1. Include first the events that are set in stone. For example, the time you have to be at work, meetings, family events, training that has to be done in a certain time frame (e.g., pool times), etc.
    2. Then, fill in the schedule with the things you need to do, but don’t necessarily have a set time for completion.
    3. Identify the blocks of “free time” and use that time to do things you enjoy and to engage with your friends and family.
    4. Stick to your schedule. Get it done. Proper management of time is key when you are trying to shove 10 pounds of sh!t in a 5 pound bag. 😉
  2. Use a task list to keep track of things that need to be done in the future, but not necessarily in the current week. Work backward from those dates so you complete today what needs to be done to be ready for tomorrow. 
  3. Keep your goals visible so at the moment you have a choice to make – you make the choice that will help you achieve your goals. It becomes easier to just do it when you remember the reason why you are doing it in the first place.
  4. Talk to your family about your training. Include them in the process. Give them a say in how your time is spent. I think this is especially important when your partner does not do endurance sport. Your family can also help keep you accountable to the training! They want you to succeed too :).
  5. Give it time to form the habit. If you are just starting to incorporate focused training (or bigger volume training) into your life, then give it time to become habit, to become lifestyle. The first time you wake up at 4:30 a.m. to swim will be the worst. But each time you get up, get out of bed, and put on the suit, it will get easier to make the choice that is in line with your goals. And, there is something uniquely rewarding about it being 7 a.m. and knowing you’ve put 4,000 yards in the tank before most people have even had a cup of coffee. Boom.
  6. If you find yourself at a breaking point, be sure to schedule in some “mental health” time – no training, no work, no screens.

Finding the time and motivation to fit training into what already seems like a packed life isn’t easy. But, I’m guessing if you set big dreams and chase them, you aren’t the type of person that wants it to be easy. You are the type of person who will just do it. 

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What are your tips for making sure the work gets done? Please share in the comments! 

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