Giving in

All of us do it. Give into the temptation of a lazy Sunday afternoon, seduced by a hot meal and the promise of Champions League football or fatigue. That ‘I can’t be arsed’ feeling. I’ve been training, in one form or another since April 1981; you would think I would be passed that ‘can’t be arsed’ feeling by now. But I’m not.

I know how you feel

I see it with students as well. So many start with all the ambition in the world, but when the sun comes calling or the beer is cold, or even worse, if the weather is cold, that resolve starts to crumble. Or the partner who says ‘You’re not going training again, are you?’ We all allow life to get in the way. And when I ask where you’ve been, the most common excuse is that you haven’t had the time lately. You forget you are speaking to a master procrastinator. A skiver. A lazy bugger who loves to read or watch something good on the TV. You forget I know your demons. Or you think your demons are different to mine. They’re not.

Desire

And yet, something separates the black belt from the beginner. The devotee to the casual trainer. It’s this. Desire. Desire overcomes every emotion you can feel. The desire to learn more. The desire to improve. To understand. To be the best you can be. To not judge yourself by other people’s standards, but to ask the question ‘what would the best in the world do right now?’ Or my personal favourite ‘will it make the boat go faster?’

Every time is different

Does sitting at home, drinking beer and watching football help me improve? Does it make me fitter? Will it help me pass my grading? The answer is no. And the fact is that every workout, every class, every run is different. You never know what you will miss out on. What experience, that may shape your life, you won’t have. The key that may take you another three years to learn.

The well

A missed workout can never be replaced. You never know when that mood, moment or time will be able to be replicated. And because of this, because of this desire to improve, to learn and become a better ‘me’ I train. I plan my weekly workouts and I force myself to go out. I’m not 100% foolproof, but my desire keeps bringing me to the well. What will make sure you keep visiting too?

Where were you?