I hurt this morning.
Two days ago, I strained my calf very badly. I have naturally tight calves because of short tendons in both my legs and arms (which hurt my arms as well for things like typing) and so I tend to get injured by pulling my calf just by walking some days. I stretch, I drink lots of water, I take magnesium supplements, there’s nothing I can really do about it other than try to keep it from getting worse.
But what happened was I didn’t want to workout because of it.
If you follow me on social media you’ll know that I’ve been dieting very well and in conjunction with training, I’ve dropped 18 lbs in about 2 ½ months. My goal is to get another 15 more while simultaneously packing on muscle. I’ve been inspired by great guys like AJ Cortes, Jarid Mayo (of Muscles by Mayo), and comic artist Graham Nolan to try to improve myself physically.
It’d be easy to say “I’m injured, I’m taking a few days off.”
It would also slow my progress.
I did take one day off, when it was the worst, but I found I could walk on it today, which meant I could train everything except matters involving my calf. Steps were out, running’s out, lunges are out, but I can keep going with almost everything else.
Instead of quitting an dropping out, I hit the gym hard and really worked my upper body, which you can do a lot of heart-rate raising calisthenics to get yourself going even without much of a leg workout.
How does this apply to you?
No matter what it is – if it’s book writing, comic making, getting fit, getting smart, progressing in your faith in Christ, pushing yourself at work – the difference between attaining your goals and not, between winning and losing, is pushing forward when you don’t feel like it, when you’ve got a legit excuse, when you’ve got an injury. Those who excel do the work regardless. That’s how you get to the next level.
Remember it today. Whatever’s holding you back, a lot of it’s in your own mind.
My characters in my books push through despite the odds. That’s what makes them heroes. Check out The Stars Entwined for an amazing sci-fi epic where even an intergalactic war doesn’t slow my heroes down.
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