It is an absolute truth that “The Beginning is Always the Hardest.” When we set out to do something that we have never done before it is hard to get started and stay on track. Also, when we choose to do what we know we ought to do it is hard. Chances are that we put off doing what we have to do because it is hard and because it is new to our daily regimen. There are tons of reasons why something new is hard in the beginning, let’s look at some of them:
1.) . It requires redoing our habits so that this new thing gets attention each and every day
2. It usually requires us to restructure our schedules and lives to accommodate the new activity or discipline
3.) . The new task requires new muscles or new mental energy that we have never applied in this area and we are totally retarded in the application preocess
4.) We have a bad attitude about doing something new even though we know it has to be done
5.) Lastly, starting something new is awkward, stressful, and painful
These reasons all by themselves can derail our best intentions to go out and conquer the world. Each of us has things that we want to accomplish but we are not motivated enough or we are too fearful to try. But, like the Title of this Article: “Don’t Give Up, the Beginning is Always the Hardest” we must recognize this fact and commit ourselves to overcoming the “Beginning Difficulty.”
When I started lifting weights in the “Beginning” I had to overcome the very real muscle pain that was generated during the initial days and weeks. Sometimes I would be so sore and I would see so little progress that I wanted to quit. But, I knew that if I wanted to have something special occur because of my weight training I had to persist and to endure the punishment that I was inflicting on my body. I had to learn that fighting through the pain barrier was imperative for me to succeed. So, I pushed myself through two workouts per day, 6 days per week, for three years. Nothing kept me away from my training sessions. I just had to believe that these training sessions during the early days were going to pay off.
We have to have an internal task master that drives us forward to do better, to be better, to accomplish our goals. Initially, the goal may be as simple as not missing workouts. This little item is often just enough to keep us going. We will go to our journals and declare this week a smashing success because we did not miss training sessions. We have to never take our eyes off the ultimate prize that we have set for ourselves. Knowing where we are going and why we are going there makes the early days easier to live through because we have a definite destination.
Just remember! “The Beginning is Always the Hardest.” This is not the place to quit. You have to believe in yourself to overcome these little wrinkles and bumps in the road that are going to occur early on in the process.
One more suggestion: If you are hurting, confused, discouraged, and weak, do not allow yourself to to feel self pity. Do not think that you are incapable of winning. Believe from day “one” that you can and will win and the rest is just the journey.
In closing, do not let the “Beginning” be the burial ground for all your hopes and dreams. Find a way to put your desire to win ahead of all pain, suffering and sacrifice……Especially, in the “Beginning.”
Until next time I remain, Douglas E. Graham, Lt Col, (ret), MHSM
Six Pack and Senior 