Have you ever started something and then had to change course, or are you one of those people who accurately assesses right from the get-go because you are a slower starter, less spontaneous-more cautious in dipping in your toe in the water-person? I tend to dive, head-first, then recalibrating as I realize I should have taken time to count the cost before giving the nod. I can be a belly-flopper. This week was one of those weeks.
I could have spent some quality time bashing myself per my old ways, but instead I ‘coached myself’ off the ledge after a large piece of humble pie.
This week, inspired by my friend Scott Speight, https://www.facebook.com/scott.speight1 I began the 75 Medium Challenge. I needed the nudge to get my butt in gear and am grateful for said nudge. I started off with the 75 Hard Challenge even thought I had that still small voice in my head warning me that there could be a strong risk for an overtraining injury when one goes from not actually working out to hitting two-45 minute workouts a day for 75 days in a row-no cheats, in addition to other requirements within the overall challenge-following a diet-no cheats, no alcohol, read 10 pages of non-fiction a day, etc….
It’s important to count the cost before saying ‘I do’ to anything. I like to be a person of my word when I made a commitment. I like to follow through with what I say I’m going to do. For me to recalibrate on Day 2 of a challenge felt a little ‘capitulating-ish’. A little going-back-on-my-word-ish. Then shows up the negative self-talk. ‘Really Christine? You are bailing on Day 2? Seriously? Slacker! Non-follow-through-er! Person of lack-of-character! Getting soft. Going for the easy route. You will never accomplish anything, you go no grit.’ On and on the bashing can go.
I could have succumbed to those ‘stinking thinking’ thoughts, but I pushed back. The recalibrating question…..are those thoughts really true? Is that who I am by and large?
Sometimes we need to recalibrate. Sometimes a halt and a reevaluated reset is the right thing to do. Sometimes it’s a good thing to change the plan and proceed with wisdom and discernment and thoughtful restraint instead of foolishly trying to prove something because of pride.
The 75 Hard Challenge might not be such a foolish undertaking for the person who is already somewhat fit. 75 Medium and 75 Soft Challenges are out there too-for a reason! I decided to start with 75 Medium because 75 Soft didn’t look to me like quite enough challenge. Not quite enough of a kick in the pants. I want to challenge myself but not set myself up for failure and injury. I reached out to Scott whom I had told just two days ago that I was ‘all in! on the 75 Hard Challenge’ to tell him I was changing plans. This guy is a leadership coach whom I admire. A fellow military member. I had to be honest with him. I just couldn’t phone it in and fake it, be a person without integrity. It didn’t feel integral to say nothing. He was gracious. I told him I would be a few days behind him. I needed to tweak it up a bit and recalibrate my challenge/commitment so I could follow through with integrity intact as well as my tendons and ligaments. LOL. Maybe someday the 75 Hard-and I look forward to the challenge. But for today, for now, 75 Medium. That is intelligent, integral and wise. It required me swallowing my pride, my macho. I would much rather finish strong than stop at Day 16, ring the bell and be out of commission for months nursing an avoidable injury, spending a bunch of money and time on physical therapy, unable to follow through with all the other prior commitments and responsibilities in my life. It’s ok to change the plan! Sometimes we need to tweak things after re-evaluating. I have a new plan, a better plan for me, that will still challenge me and help me focus, tighten up my schedule and push me to the next level.
Thanks Scott!