For the past 6 months I have been getting up between 4:30 and 5 to hit the gym.
What I have come to realize is that I am starting to relish the process. The process of getting up when it is still dark. Having that first cup of coffee, to diminish the morning fog.
To get into my truck for the 15-minute drive, often in the rain, the dark and the quiet.
At this moment I feel empowered. I have a sense of purpose, clarity and intent. I am working on my body and my mind so that my contribution is all it can be during the day to come. Life is simple, clear and not complicated.
I am often happy at this moment of moving towards the gym. My life is clean, focused, and with purpose. I am working my body, disciplining my mind, to stay in the moment, and to be better than who I was when I woke up.
With this I also realized that we are stating a new month, a new week, and what if it is in fact, not a beginning but an end for some of us.
We are close, to finishing something, pushing the last few inches, digging in, to bring it home, and we want to quit...
I read something this morning that touched on this, that I wanted to share, for all of you who are not beginning, but moving towards the finish.
“Do what you want. But these are the moments when true grit is developed. These moments when it feels like everything inside of you is screaming to quit. In these moments of inescapable frustration, that is where true grit is built on the path to mastery. This moment is an amazing opportunity to develop the grit you’re going to need in crucial moments down the road. I know you think you want to quit, but this choice will impact the rest of your life”. Pound the Stone
So, to all of you, recognizing that it is not just the start, but going the distance to the end, that forges us into the men that we want to be.
The times that we are living in at this present moment, are hard, difficult, scary and new for all of us. We need to stay the course, to go the distance, to be there for family, friends and our communities. It is time to dig in, to go the distance, and when it is all over, each of us can say “We did it, together”.
Note: I am now training at the “home gym”.