Discipline

It seems this is at the core of everything that I do in terms of my exercise. The human condition seems to be programmed to seek comfort whenever possible. It seems to be nature putting its hooks into me. I know that when the late fall comes around I will subconsciously eat more as if I was trying to put on fat to help ward off the trials of winter. Hard wiring, we all have it. We all have our ways with dealing with this hard wiring.

I know that since I started martial arts, and more recently running, I have noticed that I often times have to overcome the natural inclination to take a nap or do something less unpleasant than exercising. This is strange because I do like running and martial arts but it seems that there is a mental hurdle that I have to actually get over to get into exercise. This is not aways the true but it does get in my way at times. This is what takes discipline.

I spent time in the military so I do know how to use some cues on how to get by in these winter days.

1. Lie to Myself -- I know I am telling the lie but if I tell myself these lies to get going it seems I get everything in. "I will do 1 mile and if I don't feel right then I will stop." "I will do ten minutes of kata and if I don't feel like doing more I will stop" When I do this technique once I get going I am usually fine and the transparent lie seems to do the trick.
2. Negative Motivation -- I spent time in the military and berating one's character can often times lead to greater motivation to accomplish the task at hand. I find this is useful when trying to get through something difficult once I started it. For example, I am looking at a big hill and lose a little heart looking at the task at hand. So a little negative motivation comes in handy, "What type of runner are you, you see one hill and lose your nerve" "It is only a hill, you have done bigger ones before" "What's wrong can't handle a little pain" Well that is the idea, get down on yourself about the type of weakness being exhibited and this will make you a bit angry and push you through the difficult moments.
3. Carrot and Stick -- I do like this one because of the carrot, mmm carrots. I make deals with myself to do exercise on occasion. I use this for milestones. I usually say things like, when I log 500 miles I will get myself a new running shirt or if I make all my scheduled classes for three months I will get a new uniform for my martial arts. I can be motivated by the earned present. Personally, when I come up with such a plan and don't make it I would feel guilty buying the present.
4. Hurt vs. Injured -- Sometimes I get hurt, actually I get hurt a decent amount. That said, I am rarely injured. I have learned that small nagging injuries are part and parcel of a regular exercise program. Last night, I twisted an ankle not a big deal but it is a hurt not an injury. An injury would be a broken bone or an ACL tear. I can sometimes lose motivation when hurt. It seems a good excuse, I can't run because my ankle hurts a bit. I am all for being smart but it doesn't necessarily mean a day off is in order. Managing the hurt is key, if I really can't do one thing I need to think about what I can do. This is a big discipline thing as it is so easy to take a break during these times.
5. Excuses -- I was told by one of my first martial arts instructors "If you look for an excuse long enough you will find one you like." I really believe this is true. Excuses lurk around every corner and demands pull one in every direction. It is easy to get distracted and let yourself be drawn off course. I have found that taking a hard line in regard to exercise is the key. I know I have to do x, y, and z but should that mean that I have to miss out on exercise? I say no. It does not matter when you get it in as long as you get it in. If I have to get up early or go to be late I know I can't allow an excuse to get in the way. That would be poor discipline. It is about taking responsibility for one's actions and everyone else might understand why you couldn't do this or that. In the end I won't understand because I know deep down that I could have manufactured a little time to get something in. That's a fact.

Discipline is a big deal to me. I have always tried to keep on track with the things that I place importance in. The down side to this is that I sometimes can go through periods where my motivation is not 100%. There are lots of reasons for this that all sound like excuses but family and work are more demanding today than they were 10 years ago. Making time for yourself is important but difficult to accomplish, but you have to. My hope is that my list might be of assistance to some in getting through some lapses in discipline.