You can ask any triathlete and they will tell you that training takes tons of preparation and hard work. They have to train their bodies by working them out on a daily basis so that they can stay physically fit. Eating healthy is also a must if they plan on reaching peak physical agility and fitness. And they even have to stay mentally fit as well. They can’t allow their opponents to psych them out.
They do all of this so that they can be well prepared to do their best race day. Even though they do not know the outcome, they still get out there knowing that they have put in all the preparation that they need to be a contender, and they give it all they have.
The future can be a pretty scary thing for athletes, and it can be equally terrifying for us. We don’t like the unknown or uncertainties.
We know what has happened in the past because it already happened. We know what’s going on in the present because we’re living it. The future will now and forever more be a mystery – which is unsettling.
Even though triathletes are uncertain of their futures, in the same way that we are of ours, one of the things they say when they get into the race is that they have learned from past mistakes. They know to watch out for. And they have trained.
They realize that they cannot expect to win if they do the exact same thing that they did in the past, so they change it up and adjust their techniques and tactics based on the lessons that they learned. And even though the outcome of the next race is uncertain, they can go into it with more confidence. The goal is to “finish well”.
Good things have happened to us in the past and so have bad things and we often think about these things. When we think about the good things we smile as we look on at these memories with fondness, but when the bad memories enter into our consciousness we often times become scared of them. We hold on to these bad memories, but most of the time we don’t use them to benefit us in some way like we do with our good memories. So, instead of holding on to the bad things from the past, you should let go of these bad memories. Let go of the memories, but carry any and all lessons that you have learned from your painful past into the future with you.
The future may end up seeming a little less scary when you show up each day with an arsenal of life lessons that can help you to combat any potential threats that you might face. Remember you don’t ever want to show up to a race unprepared. Even the smallest bit of preparation can give you an edge over whomever or whatever you’re facing, and when you come to your race with your lessons in hand you will end up having just a little bit more of advantage to help you “finish well”.