The Voices In My Head Are Telling Me To Quit; I'm Telling Them To F*ck Off.

When I was in 6th grade, Mr. Flemion, my PE teacher, said that every kid in the class had to be able to run a 10 minute mile. I just wasn’t having it and informed Mr. Flemion that I couldn’t do it. “Waldman, you are going to do it if I have to drag you across the finish line.” And that is literally what he did. I finished in 9 minutes and 58 seconds. And I vowed never to run again.

That was 32 years ago.

I changed my mind a few months ago and started running. 32 years later. The voices that told me I could not run won for 32 years.

And the truth is that they haven’t quieted down at all.

I am writing this having just returned home from a 60 minute run. 59 of the 60 minutes were spent with the voices in my head giving me excuses to quit. Telling me to stop. Justifying every reason to turn around. I spent the entire run having to CHOOSE to run. And frankly, it wasn’t much fun.

But I’m going to do it again tomorrow. And then the next day. And then the next. Because it is hard, and I CHOOSE to do it anyway.

When the voices get loud, I tell them to f*ck off.

I am stronger than the voice of doubt.

I am smarter than the voice of excuses.

I am bolder than the voice of weakness.

And so are you.

CHOOSE to do something hard today. When the voices tell you to stop, what will you tell them?