Questions to Transform Your Life

In past winters (yup - darker mornings, often rain) I’ve sometimes struggled to get the motivation to pull on my running shoes and put in the hours on the trails, even though I know they’ll make the spring runs faster and more fun. 
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When it’s grey and wet outside, my brain always tries to pull me towards doing the easy thing, the instant reward - essentially anything but getting cold and wet - even though I’ve never regretted going for a run in my life, in any condition.
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It's sometimes meant I’ve been vastly underprepared for ultra races and other events, limping over the finish line, mind and body broken, and much slower than my overly-optimistic calculations have led me to believe.
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Leading to, all in all, a few fairly painful and unenjoyable experiences.
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But this year I tried something new.⁠
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I committed to accepting, but then shutting down those unhelpful thoughts, with one simple question: ⁠
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What would a great ultra runner do?’
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Asking myself this one simple question has changed so much. ⁠
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It changed my belief from just ‘being someone who runs ultras’ to committing to ‘being an ultra runner.’⁠
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And it’s made me accountable to myself.⁠
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Would that person give in to a bit of cold? Nope.⁠
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Would they knowingly under prepare for a race? Hell, no.⁠
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Would they make excuses for not getting out there? No way!
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Now whenever I feel unmotivated, I repeat that question over until I get to what I know is the correct answer.⁠
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I go through the part of my mind that wants instant gratification through comforts, and thinks less of the benefits that outweigh any discomfort - benefits that begin with the very first step.
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Asking similar questions has permeated into other areas of my life, too, leading to better sleeping, eating and planning. ⁠
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Want to be a good manager: ask ‘what would a great manager do?⁠
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Trying to give up smoking: ask ‘what would a non-smoker do?⁠’
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Trying to eat healthier: ask ‘what would a healthy person do?’
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What one question could you ask yourself now to help get you to where you want to be...?