Nothing more determined than a made up mind

I missed a scheduled run on Tuesday this week. I could easily blame the meeting that clashed with my lunch time run. But just like I said that would be easy.

Committing to a plan on paper or in an app is the easy part. Easy to visualize those early mornings, getting out at lunch time, that great sense of accomplishment. But then life gets in the way and before you know it you are making excuses. 

I got the line "nothing more determined than a made up mind" from a guy called Lewis Pugh. I use it all the time, with my team when it comes to our monthly quota and at home. What resonates with me is a "made up mind" and the coloration with "determined".

Lewis Pugh in action.... source

So if you have made up your mind  to do something very likely you have thought about the upside and downside of what it is you are committed to. You have probably considered the cost versus the outcome and if your decision has some sort of balance.

I was making excuses on Tuesday night because I missed a session but then I reminded myself I didn't have the balance. Fine to set a recurring event in my work day but had I looked far enough ahead to see were it clashed with a previously planned event? No I hadn't. That said no harm I'm still determined and so I will make up the time and the mileage.

I have some other tactics to stay on the determination side of the equation and take into consideration upside versus downside When I put the kids to bed at night I put on my gear and get dressed for a run. I'll clean down the kitchen get the baby bottles sorted and at that stage I'm all ready to go. No matter how bad my will power is I am not going to sit on front of the TV in my reflective gear and leggings. 

Putting Jennifer to bed and getting ready to head out

On a work trip no matter how short I will always pack some gear. I will lay it out in my hotel room and set the alarm an hour early. No better way to see a city than early in the morning. Plus this is high on the asshole factor scale. When your colleagues are fueling themselves on coffee and you are full of the joys. The thought running through their heads is "asshole". But deep down they are thinking "I should have done the same". And that night in the bar you have a posse signing up to go with you. Next morning that's when you will know who has really made up their mind.

Source