Fit-to-Fat-to-Fit Blog: Don’t Quit

Remember the "why"

Twenty miles into the Marine Corps Marathon, I had come to the 14th Street bridge (crossing the Potomac River.) I was still making great time and way ahead of my goal. The temperature had risen out of the upper 40’s (perfect for a marathon) to the low 70’s. My body was beginning to heat up as I rounded the National Mall.  As I crossed the Potomac, the wheels came off: I started to cramp.  And at moment, I really, really wanted to quit.

But I didn’t.

I pushed on and ran another 6.2 miles with the most vicious leg cramps I’ve ever experienced.  Pictures taken of me as I ran through Crystal City look like I’m passing a kidney stone.  My face betrayed the pain pulsing through my body.  But I kept pushing forward.  And I crossed the finish line at the Marine Corps Memorial in Arlington in triumph.

But as I look back, I now know why I didn’t quit.  I knew my “why.”

My “why” was that I was running to raise money for melanoma research.  I raised $13,000 and wanted to make the donors proud. I was running in memory of Jimmy Riley, a good man who had died from the disease I was running to fight.  I kept moving because I had endured so much that I wasn’t going to stop so close to the finish line.  I wanted to finish badly to complete my goal.

The “why” pushed me through my leg cramps.  The “why” pushed me through wanting to quit.  The “why” earned me a medal around my neck.

I’ve seen cancer survivors overcome really dismal odds because they focused on their “why.”  “Why am I going to beat cancer? Because I want to see my children grow up.” The “why” is the pilot light of motivation.  The “why” is what you live for. Remember that when you exercise. “I can get up this hill because I’m going to lose 20 lbs.” Or when you are dealing with something frustrating at work or in life.

Here are a few of my why’s:

Why am I exercising?  “I exercise to have the energy to give my family the attention they deserve and to achieve all my personal and physical goals.  I exercise to maintain good health.”

Why do I go to work everyday? “My mission is to help other people through laughter and information.  I believe that I should use my talent to the fullest (see the Parable of the Talents) and that to do so is saying thank you for being allowed to survive cancer.”

I have a long list of “whys” that motivate me.  Another is: Why do I live here? “I love Mississippi and see the great potential of its people.”  See?  The “why” is a powerful motivator.  The “why” gets you out of the bed in the morning.

Recently, I saw Simon Sinek’s video on TED (you ought to watch TED videos if you get a chance).  Sinek pretty much sums up everything I believe about the importance of the question “why.”

Find your purpose and pursue it. Find your “why.”  And when you do, quitting no longer is an option. No matter how bad the situation gets.

I ran 5.25 miles this morning and burned off 853 calories.  Saw the sun starting to rise and almost felt a little bit of coolness in the air.  It was a good run, fatigue and all. Thought about some work problems I’m having and the run helped.