Why do you exercise? Have you lost sight of the reason you started?
You've got a race coming up. Maybe you're training for a late-season marathon or an upcoming 5k. I had some knee problems after a recent race. I probably should have not run the race but I had trained so hard I really wanted to run. Crossing the finish line was a great feeling. Dealing with the knee problems for weeks afterwards was not. Unless you make a living with your body, is it worth it?
You are overcoming a health problem. Many people start exercising after a health crisis. That's an excellent reason to start and can help you overcome limitations caused by the health problem. I love to read stories of people running after overcoming Cancer or having a Heart transplant.
You want to have the energy to do what you were born to do. For me, this is the reason I try to keep at the top of my mind. Other reasons can be distracting. If you plan to run, or swim, or play tennis for decades, what's the big deal about taking a couple of weeks to really recover from a nagging injury? In the past, I have trained so hard that I've been hard to live with. Every now and then that's probably necessary to get to the next level. But many times I'm just trying to do too much. Only you can judge how you are feeling and know when to press and when to rest.
The point is it is easy to lose sight of why you are doing something. And when you lose sight of that goal, you do things that are counterproductive.
Have you ever gotten really stressed about planning an event that's supposed to be fun? Is it worth having the event if you are going to be in a bad mood and affect the mood of those around you?
How about you? Have you started with one goal in mind and then lost sight of your goal?
See also
(For more posts like this one, visit my blog, Tech Rest – Enjoying technology and finding rest in a restless world)
