The Mindset to Endure Pain
I looked down at my watch. We were 2.3 miles in. I looked left and right. My teammates looked just fine; their breathing was consistent and light and their legs were going strong. I felt like I was going to implode and die.
I had recently started running again after a 3-month recovery from a concussion. My fitness dwindled: my legs were weaker, my cardiovascular abilities were used to sitting around all day, and I thought I had lost the mental toughness that comes with distance running.
Our coach had told us today was a long run. For my group, that meant 9 miles. I checked my watch again. 2.4 miles in. The sides of my stomach hurt and my ankles were about to rip apart. I considered breaking off from the group and running back to campus, but I didn’t know the way back. I was stuck here and had to do something.
Then, I remembered a piece of advice I heard somewhere online a year ago. The runner said to mentally divide runs into smaller segments and focus on achieving the smaller bits instead of looking at the bigger picture.
I promised myself to go until mile 3. I got there. Then, I told myself to push just until 4 miles. Then 5.
At mile 5, I knew I was more than halfway done. Reminding myself of this fact, I told myself to go to 6. I kept repeating this process until I was able to complete the 9 miles.
I began to apply this strategy to other daunting tasks outside of running.
This method of cutting down a larger task into bite-sized chunks removes the mental pressure and discomfort of the impending pain ahead. Minds also function better and become motivated when there is an obtainable, more tangible task at hand. Further, finishing smaller tasks builds up and tells us that we’re capable of what’s ahead because we’ve already made progress; we can remind ourselves that progress is proof of what we can do.
