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Keep Your Mind in the Moment – Feeding the Wolf

F2C Elite Team member Doug Hahn shares his thoughts on staying motivated.

I’ve been a triathlete for some time now and like everyone I must work daily on my motivation. Your self talk is key.

Feed the Good Wolf.” from the book The Champion’s Mind by Jim Afremow, PhD has the following on page 38;

What you’re thinking, what shape your mind is in, is what makes the biggest difference of all. -Willie Mays

There is an old Cherokee legend known as the tale of the two wolves. A grandfather explains to his warrior grandson that there are two wolves within each of us: One wolf is positive and beneficial, while the other wolf is negative and destructive. These two wolves fight for control over us. The grandson is curious and asks, “Which wolf will win?”  The grandfather replies, “The one you feed.”

As an athlete in my 50’s feeding the Good Wolf still applies, now more than ever. I must strive to be in the moment on a daily basis. To keep my mind and body going. I strive to balance the three areas of fitness, Cardiovascular, Strength and Flexibility. It is so important to give attention to all three of these aspects of training to be a successful triathlete. As mentioned above training your mind is perhaps the fourth and most important area to utilize and pay attention to survive over the long haul of an athletic career in your fifties and beyond.

I employ many aspects of social media to help me with my “self talk” and “self motivation” on a daily basis. I turn to YouTube, for such motivational shorts as “Rise and Grind”. I often look at Instagram and look at pictures of myself and friends Unknown-1achieving our goals and training successfully. Strava is another arrow in my quiver. I see my friends making efforts on a daily basis and when I don’t want to get out the door or into the pain cave I just turn to my friends both near and far to inspire me and motivate me to do what I need to do to reach my goals. When I’m on the bike I love to watch Triathlon and Cycling movies to feel the inspiration of others to fuel my “Good Wolf”.

 

When I’m out on the race course I always strive to “Be in the moment” I can’t let my mind wander to what did or didn’t go well in the previous area of my race bu only on what I am currently doing. I try not to defeat myself with thoughts of how much more I have to do.
I will often go back to a mantra to keep me focused on my current aspect of the race.Unknown-2

You too can use these tricks to help you to reach your goals. Motivation and feeding the wolf is a daily and sometimes minute to minute task. Whether it is your friends, family, social media or the strength of your mind, Keep your mind in the moment and feed the good wolf!

Doug Hahn

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