Motivation is a funny thing. We all have it, and use it in different ways. Some of us are motivated by money, helping others, or reaching a personal goal. Motivation is what keeps us focused and helps to overcome adversity. I stay motivated through helping others achieve goals. By finding their inner athlete.
Athletes always love working out. It gives us that same high we used to feel when we were on the field, court, pool, what have you. When you finish a really intense workout, you get that same sense of gratification as you did the days you were just able to cross that finish line, make that play, or sink that free throw to win the game. There's so few of us lucky enough to have this competitive fire. It doesn't have to end when you're done playing sports. Through fitness, I help people find their inner athlete, even the ones who never picked up a sport a day in their life.
I was having a conversation with my mom the other night, who never picked up a sport a day in her life, but always loved watching her kids play. She's getting into strength training now, at 53 years old. She told me she couldn't get passed the burn. It was something she wasn't used to, because she never worked out with weights and it was uncomfortable. I explained to her that it's new, yes it IS hard, but it DOES get easier. She didn't believe me, because it had been a couple of weeks, and it wasn't getting easier for her yet. I told her to keep at it, and it would get easier, especially when she would start to see results. She seemed unconvinced.
Now my mom is one of the strongest people I know. She dealt with a traumatic childhood and has overcome adversity all throughout her life. She and my father married at 18, without a pot to piss in, but their love for each other kept them both motivated to work together and make ends meet. At 21, they had a child with special needs, and not a lot of money for the support he would need. My dad, being the handy guy he was, found a house that was nearly condemned, but saw a lot of potential. They bought it for next to nothing, and my dad spent every single night after work fixing up this house. One day, my mom was in the kitchen making my dad's lunch, and looked around the god awful kitchen they had. She found herself sobbing. She hated the house, hated the fact that they worked so hard, and got such little in return. She was understandably frustrated. She trusted that my dad would work every single day to make it a suitable home for their little family. She turned that frustration and pain, into more motivation. Motivation is power. It's what drives us to rise above, when we want to crumble and take action when it's easier to sit back and dream from a distance. The two of them worked, and saved, worked some more, saved some more. They slowly began to create a beautiful home together. They lived off of chef boyardi, PB & J, and spaghetti with clams. When Dr.'s told them that their son may never be able to walk, ride a bike, or drive a car, they wouldn't accept no for an answer. My mom worked with Johnny every single to day to get him to crawl, walk, eventually roller skate, and ride a bike. He began driving at 18 (very slowly, but he drives!). My parents didn't let anyone, or anything stop them from reaching their goals. They kept each other motivated by their love for one another, and their goals to be the best parents they could be. Two more kids, and many years of saving later, they were able to create the home of their dreams out of that same house that was nearly condemned. My dad saved enough money to PURCHASE his father's business at the same price he would've sold it to Joe Shmo, and he grew the business even in tough economic times. My parents who started out with nothing, were able to put us through college without us having to worry about student loans. They didn't want us to have financial, or any other burdens growing up. So instead of us working at 14 years old like they did, they got us involved with sports.
Through sports, I was able to learn how to overcome adversity, learn how to win with pride, and learn how to be humble with losing. In softball, you have to stay positive, because when your batting average is .300 and above, that's considered above average. That's getting a hit less than 3 times out of 10. If you're focused on the 7 at bats when you didn't get the job done, instead of the 3 hits you made something happen, you're in trouble. So much of my struggles in life came from this sport. That's why so many girls quit and play lacrosse (JK LAXERS). But seriously, no one likes the feeling of failure. In life we come across obstacles all the time. Our strength comes from the motivation to rise above and keep going. Truly successful people like my parents, see the struggle before it gets to them. They challenge the struggle. They dominate it. They look forward to it, because they will overcome it. That's how they taught me to approach the sport.
It's no surprise that my parents, who gave us the kind of life they didn't have, and gave us things that they didn't have, wanted us to compete at the highest level of competition so that we could learn how to overcome real adversity, and stay motivated through the hardest parts of a season. The most difficult part of a long season could be the 6am workouts, playing through soreness and injury, going through a long mental and physical slump. Only few of us get this level and know the kind of struggle involved. Why put myself through years of slumps? For the gratification of the feeling of success when you come out of that slump. Some of my best memories of the game, were getting that first hit after going 0-20. When you hear your teammates chearing and saying "welcome back." Only few us know these emotions, the kind you get when you realized "I did it," when others would've quit. I like to translate these things, into every aspect of my life, to keep me motivated.
Some people are natural athletes, and can go through physical pain to attain a fitness or competition goal. For some, that's the motivator, the physical burn of a workout or sport and the rewards you feel after. For others, like my mom, who has overcome emotional pain and struggles all throughout her life, are motivated by the other challenges they've faced in the past and rose above. There is no difference. In life, when you meet a challenge, face it. When you a tragedy hits you, go through it. When an opportunity presents itself, meet it.
It was no surprise to me that when my mom told me she didn't think working out would ever get easier for her, I looked at her like she had 9 heads. This is the woman who helped me become the strong, motivated woman I am today BY HER EXAMPLE. This is the woman who can do anything she sets her mind to. This is the woman who has a smile on her face no matter how hard of a day she had. This is my role model. So I hope you see this mom, and know that you can do it.
So can all of you.
I know, I got a little deep here today. Thanks for reading. Now get your ass to the gym!
