The Importance of Having a Mantra
Embrace your mantra to achieve your goals
Today I was cycling with a friend who did a full Ironman. She is a great and inspiring woman! Her enthusiasm is contagious. She is always pushing for new adventures and something different from usual. While cycling, she was telling me about her Ironman experience and described in a nutshell the attitude that she had: “Go big or go home”.
It is a popular motivational quote that fits perfectly with endurance. You might think it’s obvious. Indeed, but still powerful. I found it very inspiring that it stuck in my mind for hours. Is it because I love endurance sports? Is it because it’s embracing my philosophy? I don’t know. I know it resonated with me. I always like to go beyond my comfort zone, because it’s where I learned and grew the most.
In life, we have to make choices, and the future is the result of the choices or no choices that we made. This expression doesn’t take into consideration a middle ground, and while it might seem extreme at first, it’s a perfect quoteto motivate and push ourselves beyond the limits to give the best of us.
Personally, this quote embraces my life philosophy:
Push and step beyond my comfort zone;
Don’t set limits or beliefs;
Set a goal and work hard to achieve it;
The more I push myself, the more reward and satisfaction I get. I feel if we want to have a fulfilled life, we have to take risks, expand our knowledge, and challenge our limits and beliefs. Our beliefs limit what we can achieve, both physically and mentally. We are far more capable of what we think of. In fact, I think our worst enemies are our beliefs. Our beliefs dictate our life. Sometimes we reframe them and our perspective and life change.Life is so mysterious, but I learned that if I want to achieve something, I need to go and get it. It’s hard work, determination, trying a million times, failing, and succeeding. It seems like a slogan promoted already a million times, but no, it’s simply life.
In endurance, and in life as well, we need mantras and short messages that encourage us to achieve our goals. They are reminders that guide us along the way.
If you’re looking to find a mantra, my suggestion is to choose wisely: pick something that is short and easy to remember. It’s also very important that it resonates with you since it will become part of you. A mantra is very personal. Once you have decided on your own mantra, write it down and post it in a visible place, so you can easily remember it. Depending on the goal and purpose, you can repeat it in the morning, before, or during workouts. Self-talk is also part of the process.
When you practice your mantra regularly, you will notice the results. It might seem unnecessary in the beginning, but it is very useful when you want to give up. Mantras help to:
Increase focus and feel more relaxed;
Reduce anxiety and trust the process;
Give yourself motivation when you want to quit;
Improve your mood and feel more positive;
We always come across powerful quotes that resonate with us and have a specific meaning for our personal growth. They seem obvious at first sight, but then when we embrace them, we feel they are part of our philosophy and lead us to the next steps. What is your mantra?