Sunday Story…The Arena

If you look on the wall in the restroom there is a small poster with Teddy Roosevelt’s “the man in the Arena” speech. Here is a link to it in case you’ve never noticed it:

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7-it-is-not-the-critic-who-counts-not-the-man

There comes a point where you must step onto the field of play. You can talk about it but talking won’t cut it. Always thinking but never acting holds you back. Planning without action is just mental masturbation. Just imagine if all you ever do is aim but never pull the trigger.

If your goals are important, if you respect yourself enough to create the discipline to do the things required to achieve those goals but you don’t take the ruthless action required to meet those goals how will get where you want to be?

You must step into the arena. You must be willing to risk failing. No one wins every time…the GOAT doesn’t become the GOAT the moment he or she walks on the field. There were highs and lows. There were times when they were defeated…but not beaten. You pull the arrows of self-doubt and criticism out of your armor and step back into the arena.

There is no greater shame than to waste your potential by only thinking and planning but never acting.

Behold the turtle…he can’t go anywhere without sticking his neck out.

John Mariotti

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

www.crossfitodyssey.com

775-338-2412

 

Sunday Story…The Problem with Discipline

A week or two ago I wrote about discipline and why it is more important than motivation. Motivation comes and goes but discipline is what gets you up on the cold dark mornings. Discipline is what gets you into the gym when you really don’t want to be there.

The problem with discipline is this: It isn’t something you can pick off the shelf. You aren’t born with it. No one can pour some discipline down your throat and have it magically start working for you. Where do you find and cultivate discipline?

Discipline is found next to self-respect. If you don’t respect yourself and your goals and aspirations discipline won’t be found. Maybe someone told you you had to be part of the 4 AM riser club to be successful. Yet you can’t seem to get out of bed until 5. You don’t believe that getting up at 4 is important. You don’t respect that goal. Then it begins a downward spiral. I can’t get up when I’m supposed to, so I’ll never be successful. I may as well quit now. Yet there are a lot of successful people who get up much later than 4 AM.

You must be fully bought into your goals and aspirations to find the discipline necessary to do the things needed to achieve those goals. If you want to be a writer to must believe you have something to write before you have the discipline to sit down and put pen to paper.

Once you believe, once you respect your goals the discipline will be found right there. Self-respect breeds discipline. Find things that light your fire, and you will do whatever it takes to do those things.

 

John Mariotti

www.crossfitodyssey.com

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

775-338-2412

 

Sunday Story…The Comfort Paradox

I rarely do this but the other day I read something that just hit home. It came from Ross Harkness on Instagram. Here it is:

 

The Comfort Paradox

 

The more you lean into comfort, the worse you feel.

The more you lean into discomfort, the better you feel.

 

So that thing you know you need to do? Do it.

 

Do it when you’re tired. Do it when you don’t want to. Do it when it’s raining. Do it when it’s cold. Do it when everyone’s against you. Do it when nobody believes in you. Do it when you feel lost. Do it when you have every excuse not to.

 

Because even if the world is conspiring against you, as long as you do what you know you need to do, you can go to bed knowing you shouldered responsibility, met your standards, and that you gave the world all you could.

 

Make yourself proud.

 

Lean into discomfort and do the thing.

 

--Ross Harkness

 

It has been said that if you want a hard life, do the easy things But if you want an easy life do the hard things. This is the paradox. Comfort leads to dis-ease. Sitting and doing little or nothing will result in a body unable to move properly. It’s easy to sit around and do nothing but the penalty will be a life of pain and dis-comfort.

On the other hand, showing up and working hard in the gym is uncomfortable. But it may mean that you are mobile and vital in your later years. Discomfort leads to ease.

 

Embrace the paradox. Then go to the gym!

 

John Mariotti

www.crossfitodyssey.com    

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com 

775-338-2412

 

Sunday Story…Motivation vs. Discipline

 

“Of course motivation is not permanent. But then, neither is bathing; but it is something you should do on a regular basis.”

― Zig Ziglar

 

Zig did have it right. Motivation is not permanent. It ebbs and flows, comes and goes. Some days I am just not motivated. I don’t want to go to the gym, eat right, or read uplifting material. Like a toddler, “I just don’t wanna!”

Do you know what is permanent? Discipline. Discipline is what gets me up in the morning when I really want to stay in bed. Discipline is what puts me in the gym even when I am not feeling it. Discipline is what has me doing the things that need to be done even though I really have no desire or motivation to do them.

Great, discipline. Where can I get some of that? You won’t find it in a book, a speech, or an accountability partner, although all those things might be indispensable to your ongoing success. No, discipline comes from a different place.

Discipline resides within you. There is a well of discipline just waiting for you to tap into it. But just like the difference between a lake and a well you can’t just walk over and grab some. You are going to have to dig in and discover it for yourself. It starts, as so many things do, with a decision and a commitment. It requires an overblown sense of integrity for yourself. You wouldn’t lie to your mom or dad, your spiritual advisor, or your higher power, so don’t lie to yourself.

You decided and you committed to going to the gym 5 out of 7 days. So, go to the gym. You decided and you committed to getting up at 4:30 am every weekday. So, get out of bed at 4:30 am. You decided and you committed to eating healthy clean food. So do that.

That is what discipline is…a decision and a commitment and the integrity to yourself to hew to that decision and commitment. Simple, not easy.

 

John Mariotti

www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com

www.crossfitodyssey.com

775-338-2412