Why is Quitting so Easy?

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize."

1 Cor. 9:24

It is just getting easier and easier to QUIT.
Everyone around us seem to quit, they quit before they even try.
And "TRY" what is that? It looks like empty words, verbal nonsense.
Mediocre goals.
A little effort, a lot less sweat.

If it hurts, STOP.
If its uncomfortable, Bow Out.
If its out of the box, crawl back in.

I get it. I have done it.

Work hard? Sweat? Sacrifice? Commit?

WHAT IS THAT??

It has just gotten so easy to QUIT.
No one is going to say anything. They will enable you, because no one wants to hurt your little feelings and tell you to BUCK UP!

Wednesday this is how I felt. I WANTED TO QUIT.

Tempo RUN.
Simple in the days I trained shorter distances, TORTURE in this season of my running.
7 miles.
5 miles race pace.

My warm up mile was great, but that didn't last long.

"My God, WHY does this hurt so bad?"
I looked at my pace with discouragement. I was so much faster than this not so long ago.

"Just make it to the next mile, then maybe you will be warmed up.."
I was sucking air like a dying horse.

"Another hill, how can I maintain this pace on flat ground? Now I have to go up?"
My body was strong but my lungs wanted to explode.

"I DID it, 4 more miles at this pace, hmm, maybe I can slow down, or maybe I will just stop for a second and catch my breath...."
QUITTING rings louder than success when success can be altered.
It is so easy in the middle of pain to create a new plan, an easier goal..

"Why am I doing this anyway? What's the point? Is that another hill? How am I going to maintain this pace up that?"
"OH wait, I am almost through another mile, Come on, NITA..GOOO!"
Mini victories help you achieve the greatest of the victories. Keeping your eye on the goal but breaking it up into smaller ones helps you feel less discouraged.

"2 more miles at this pace? The storm is coming, it's starting to rain, my legs hurt, I'm so tired..."
I counted my limitations and grew more and more discouraged.

"SERIOUSLY? I DID IT! I STINKING DID it, another mile, I just have 1 more. I CAN DO THIS. I CAN...I CAN!"
The moment you realize that regret is worse than sweat.

That last mile, I was so exhausted, so thirsty, so tired, I literally went to spit and I spit all over my face. I didn't even have the energy to get my saliva to surge across the dirt road. It just drooled across my cheek.
Mailbox to Mailbox, Garbage can to Garbage can, I broke that last mile up, desperately trying to give my everything. I looked down at my pace and had slowed down. I screamed at myself to dig back in.
"2 minutes, hold on NITA, 2 MINUTES, GRIT IT OUT and GO"

Its just so EASY to quit. No one has to know. No one will ever see. And honestly NO ONE REALLY CARES.

BUT I DO. I CARE. I just can't cheat myself. I am worth the Sweat. I am worth the Effort, I am worth the Sacrifice, the Commitment. I AM WORTH IT.

"I DID IT!" I cried softly to myself. Breathless, I winced, this little cry escaped my lips. I smiled in my pain. "Thank YOU GOD, Thank you."

Last mile easy. It was at this point that I finally felt warmed up. My body was ready to roll. My legs were forgiving. My countenance was joyful. I was consumed with an overwhelming feeling of triumph.

It would have been so easy to quit.
Rather than thinking about your Limitations think about your ABILITIES.
It wasn't about trying to chase the pace I ran last year. It was about trying to push through defeat, discouragement and discomfort. I had a million reasons to justify quitting, slowing down, altering my goal. But when I thought about my abilities, I knew I could do it, I just had to push through.
I thought about my Cross Country kids. Their courage to race, to dig deep, I saw each one of them as they came to the finish line, pure grit. They look up at you and want nothing more than to make you happy. They cross the finishing line with sweat and tears.  
BY GOD, I needed to have that grit, they inspired me to not give up. When I came to a hill, a turn, loose gravel I saw those faces of determination and I chased them.

Sometimes, when you just don't have anything left in the tank you gotta draw out your inspiration from others.

Don't make Quitting so Easy. Your worth it.

Rather than focusing on your limitations Focus on your abilities.

Don't Give UP! There is no Victory there.

Anita