GOOD

I have a mentor that I’ve never met named Jocko Willink.  Jocko and I have little in common other than our haircut, but the mentorship that I get from him (admittedly, from podcasts and books) is about motivation.
Motivation is something that we all need, and something that we all lack in crucial situations.  Situations that actually require us to dig deep and find something… usually we have nothing and we just accept that and quit, moving on with our normal lives.  Jocko’s motivational speech is simple and to the point — so simple it really can be boiled down to one word — GOOD.
Don’t feel like getting up early this morning for a workout?  GOOD.  Do it anyway.
Got passed over for a promotion?  GOOD.  Work even harder this year and crush every professional goal that you have so there is no question at all for next year.
Kid is sick and has to stay home from school, keeping you out of work too?  GOOD.  Use it as a day to connect again with that little munchkin and teach them something valuable.
When you face adversity (which is pretty much everyday), you have a choice in how you react.  Are you going to let whatever obstacle it is bring you down and degrade your performance?  Or will you use it as a reason to step up and dominate, proving to yourself that you can handle anything that is thrown at you, and even use the obstacle as motivation?  Today is the first day of a new year, and a new decade.  2020.  It’s a new opportunity to prove to yourself that you have what it takes to crush any adversity that will come your way, and accomplish your lofty goals.  A very simple mantra, a word that can remind you that you have an opportunity to learn and grow, will be important.  GOOD (said in a low, gravely voice like Jocko), will be your motivation, your coach, when you need it.
My first event for this year is a 13.5 trail run/mountain climb called the Frozen Snot in mid-February.  My friends Jason and Dave roped me into it again this year, as did my pride because last year I didn’t finish the brutal race.  This morning I woke up with a hangover from bad decisions on New Year’s Eve.  GOOD.  I woke up and went for a run, because I didn’t want to.  I know that there will be times (pretty much the whole time) that I don’t want to continue being cold and tired during the Frozen Snot.  So I need to find opportunities to train in that state of mind.  Don’t want to workout today?  GOOD.  Get it done.  I feel like cutting my training run from 3 miles to 2 miles, because my legs are tired.  GOOD.  Make it 4 miles.
Happy New Year, everyone.  Make it the best one ever.
Ryan