It is not ok to slow down!

That is what has been going through my head during my run earlier today like an annoying spirit hovering over my left shoulder. It is not ok, to slow down! Keep moving!!

It is sometimes easy for people to say, or claim the phase, “Don’t Quit!” because there isn’t any conflict or pressure butting up against you to decide between doing what is hard vs. doing what will bring you the quickest relief to your discomfort. Believe me when I say that it is an instinctual reaction to fleeing to a position that is safe, free from pain and discomfort. That makes sense. When put against the wall, only two choices push to the top of your subconscious priorities. Stay here and suffer or give in to the shoulder devil’s convincing argument of backing down. Backing down could mean a host of things, but it all boils down to relaxing to a position that offers you safety, time, reassurance to control your narrative, and space to architect your next move. It is the breathing room you struggled for, where the timing always seems to be perfect. It is that same moment that the devil allowed you to rationalize whether this choice is ultimately the best for you no matter what your struggle is. It’s like giving candy to a baby.

So, why is it not ok to slow down? Why does it matter if I fake the posture of not quitting, when we all know, we all have our breaking points? It is more than just getting inside your head to fight those demons that are offering you Cinderella deals. It is about making decisions and sticking to what you commit to. I’ll even go a step further to say that making your commitments and mental declarations public are really just emotional guard rails built solely for you and you alone. The commitment you make is only as good as the follow through on the execution.

The only way to truly live up to your commitments is to decide not slow down. This is more than physical acceleration. This is about knowing what your current position is, at any given moment, deciding to progress, and following through by advancing. Rinse and repeat! It’s nice to have a long range vision but the true mark of someone who is dedicated is someone who can process their environment and make smart choices to solve their way out of a problem. The only way to do that is having a progressive mindset; one where you forego your instinctual drive to seek comfort in the basics of life. In order to get what you want, you have to accept that you will go through parts of your future that will be unknown and uncomfortable. These are parts that may not even be constrained by time. The faster you understand that this is inevitable, and discomfort will ultimately happen, the easier it will be to combat your shoulder demon to choose your future over the obvious clear path.

If you ever worked beside me and seen me perform under tension, there is one thing most people always question and ask me. “Louis, why is it that while most people lose steam, as they get mentally and physically exhausted, you seem to pick up the pace?” Well, it is as simple as choosing not to slow down and actually following through more than anything. So, when you find yourself rationalizing on what to do next, in those grey dark moments of your life when everything feels so unknown, chose to advance. Chose to get up and progress no matter what. Surround yourself with people who can feed off of your mojo and strengthen your tribe. Remember, you cannot go through life as a maverick. You must accept that it is your duty and responsibility to use the gifts that you have been blessed with to help your neighbor and colleagues survive. This is why we exist. It is about your team, your people, and your family. So find your passion to press forward.

What you decide now, will define you for the rest of your lives!, so train harder than real life;… recover faster!