Today’s message is simple: keep going. 

Sometimes knowing when to let go or stop is important, but other times knowing when to stick with it is more critical. And, if you already stopped or feel stuck, know that it is OK to try again, and again, and again.

Get up, and keep going. 

This is often easier said than done. You might logically know that you need to keep moving forward and take the immediate next step, but then your emotions roar and remind you how overwhelmed, tired, or fearful you are. 

It becomes a battle of the mind versus emotions: your brain tells you to keep going while your emotions say “no.”

Mind over emotions 

The 100/110-meter hurdles race in track and field is an excellent example of the interplay between the mind and emotions. It is an interesting race, to say the least. You are running at full speed, see the hurdle right in front of you, and you need to navigate over it with as little momentum lost as possible. 

An experienced hurdler knows that proper form is key to maintaining forward motion and clearing the hurdle. Effective execution relies less on emotions but rather on proper form and what they call “attacking the hurdle”—maintaining speed and momentum by implementing proper technique with power and confident motions. 

This race requires the runner to focus on their steps and technique rather than on trying to anticipate jumping over the hurdle. Over time, proper form is internalized and the runner understands the mechanics of clearing the hurdle. 

In theory, the hurdles are there to slow the runner down, and in the beginning, they probably do. But, over time, the runner’s goal is to learn to clear the hurdle with as little momentum lost as possible. 

So, what can we learn from this? 

The most interesting thing is that a hurdler can’t learn to master the race without actually practicing running over hurdles. They have to fall, learn the form, clip the hurdle, stumble, and get back up so many times to improve. 

Habit, practice, and improvement of form are what the runner needs to focus on most to succeed. It is the focus on mastering the physics and mechanics that matters most. 

So, keep going even if you hit the hurdle, stumble and fall. You will notice where you went wrong and try again. 

Focus on your form

Focusing on habits, form, and execution will take you further than trying to fight your emotions.

It is OK to let your emotions speak to you so you know what you are feeling in the moment, but be careful not to let them always dictate your next action or response.

• Where have you been tempted to give up or stop?
• Where are your emotions telling you to quit when you know the best action is to keep going? 

Yes, the hurdle might look higher than your current capacity, but the hurdle is not going anywhere, and there are great things on the other side of it. So, the best next thing to do is to keep going. 

What positive habits can you focus on this week? 

Pay it forward!

Do you know someone who could use a gentle reminder to keep going? Do you know someone is feels like giving up? If your answer is yes, share this post with them as a mental boost for the week ahead!