Be Extraordinary

We have all heard the saying, "No pain, no gain." I grew up hearing this in soccer practices: one more lap around the field when you thought you just could not do it anymore; 20 goal kicks with your right foot, 20 with your left; 6 corner drills that ended in a full sprint of the soccer field after a 90 minute practice. This torture training, at least that's what I called it at the time - I was a teenager- was meant to increase your cardiovascular and muscular conditioning, develop mental toughness, and prepare you for an intense 90 minute time frame of chasing a ball up and down the field while constantly changing directions and fending off the other team. If only I was in the shape I am in now! At the time, though I was good, physical and mental endurance were not my strong points. I played hard. I fought hard. But honestly, I can remember loathing it while I was doing it. Why did I have a love/hate relationship with the conditioning required to excel at the sport I loved so much? Because I was not in shape and I did not know that in order to increase your physical and mental endurance you have to be willing to stand on the edge of your physical capabilities, work outside of your comfort zone, and find peace within the chaos.

I know that exercise is not everyone's favorite thing to do. I understand that getting a workout in can cause more stress than it may relieve. I too know what it's like to be so tired that lifting heavier or pushing harder during a cardio drill seems nearly impossible. I am right there with you when the scale does not reflect the time you have put in and the effort you have put forth. I get it!

Transforming the shape of your body, increasing the strength of your lungs, and training the bull-headed will of your mind unquestionably requires an unwavering commitment to continue to raise the bar of your physical and mental capacity. It is one thing to write down your goals, develop a plan to achieve them, to make it to the gym atleast 4xs a week and to eat clean and prepare your meals for the week. It is a whole other ball game to strive for excellence, surpass the standard of ordinary effort, and to commit to being extraordinary each and every workout you have. Some days your body will corporate. Some days you will be undeniably great. Then there will be those days that nothing seems to be going right. Your body aches from head to toe, your head is just not in it, and work unfortunately becomes the priority when all you wanted to do was take Shirly's kickboxing class. Life will get in the way of your quest for greatness. What are you going to do about it?

Make each workout count, no matter what level of greatness you come to the table with on that particular day. Bust your rut! Do it with guts and heart. Commit to being extraordinary even when your level of excellence will be different day to day. Do not bow down to limited expectations and preconceived notions that you cannot do something. Do you want to look and feel the best you can? Do you desire to wear a bikini without hesitation or self-consciousness? Do you wish to complete a half marathon without having to stop to catch your breath? Then work hard, break through your comfort zone, stand on the edge of your physical and mental capacity and find peace within the chaos that will be there when you commit to lifting just a bit heavier and pushing just a bit harder.

Be extraordinary.