Have you ever given partial effort or become lazy because the thought of doing a task or completing a goal seemed daunting? I can tell you firsthand that I have, and in this blog, I will tell you how to beat it. Living life with the “E-Brake”(EB) has an effect on our thoughts, actions, and emotions.
The E-Brake mentality was something I created after the gym one day. I was at the end of my workout routine, but I had to do some high-intensity interval training (HIIT) before I allowed myself to leave the gym. I let my mind take over on my first sprint, and I did not take my time. Thoughts started to bombard my mind, such as I was not ready and that I was tired today. I started to become doubtful of my abilities. To be honest, I was truly trying to put in the least amount of effort to get my time, but it backfired on me. I ended the sprint at 33 seconds, but I was aiming for an under the 30-second sprint.
At this point, many thoughts and excuses started to form in my head. Things such as my legs, stomach, or feet hurt were all things I began to think of. These excuses we sometimes give ourselves often stop us from unleashing our fullest potential. In a way, we stop and slow our growth by letting excuses validate why we failed. We fail because we do not put in the effort needed to succeed. We are riding with the E-Brake on.
The next thing I noticed after my failed run was my lazy actions and mindset before the run. I did not want to do it again after trying once and failing, but I knew I couldn’t give up. At first, I tried to give the least amount of effort. Instead of digging deep and getting it done in the first attempt, this action was the easy road. I was the problem, and I had to fix it.
I realized the problem was me and what was going on in my head. While on the court, I took a knee on the sideline to figure out how I would make the time. I knew I couldn’t leave until I got below a 30-second sprint. Again, I started to evaluate my run, and I noticed I was not giving it my all. I was letting my brain and body try to take the road with the least amount of effort with the same reward as max effort and victory. I realized that I would be there all day if I didn’t give more this time around. I knew the goal, and I could not simply complete it by being lazy. I had to give more than what I wanted to give.
I set my timer for the second time, and this time I knew I had no choice but to reach my goal. I started off with a mad dash, and halfway in, I started to slow down. Then I look at the timer, and I give more drive and energy to make it. On my last strides, I started to doubt myself and that I wouldn’t make it and I would have to try again. That mindset was my victim mindset taking over. Doubt is one of our greatest enemies, along with fear. You have to tap into your inner strength, ensuring you have confidence in your abilities and faith in yourself. To my unveil, I had made my time in 28.94 seconds. I had conquered my laziness for the day, and a focused mindset followed that inner victory.
When I got home, I started to analyze my gym experience. I wanted to understand why my day started shakily. I was not doing the things I would typically do. I was becoming complacent, or a more truthful word would be lazy. I realized that since it only took two times to reach my gym goal of below 30 seconds, then there was no reason why I couldn’t make it the first time. That led me to think that I was my worst enemy because I held myself back. In a sense, I was putting the E-Brake on when I was in the gym. I was slowing my progress and making life more difficult. You have to ask yourself, is the E-Brake on? If it is, then start to figure out or work on ways to make sure it stays off, so you can give your maximum effort and reach your highest potential.
Emotions might make us feel like we can or can’t do something. Like Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right.” I knew I could do the workout, but I did not know I would have to conquer a weak mind to complete my goals that day. It is perfectly normal for anyone to feel fatigued or tired when facing life challenges alongside the hustle of everyday life. You might have your plates full of family, work, and personal hobbies. There might be a certain amount of stress and hardship from each of these sectors in our life, but how you deal with that stress and have a clear vision of your goals will create your desired outcome.
The biggest takeaway from this day is that developing a success mindset allows you to accomplish your goals if you set your mind on a task. You might feel beat down, tired, or not in the mood, but the choice is yours. It is your choice to put in the effort it takes to complete your goals and attain your desires in life. When your mind starts to say that it can’t, just say that it can, this shift in thinking fuels your energy and focus. Never or impossible are debilitating words that can stop you from taking that leap of faith. If you give it your all, it doesn’t matter if you fail. Les Brown says, “You have to be HUNGRY!’. This is very much the case with each of your failures. No failure or hurdle will stop you if you genuinely want it. You are unstoppable, and that hunger inside you to succeed should be an insatiable desire to push yourself toward betterment constantly.
In conclusion, to live life without the E-brake, we have to commit to our fullest potential and adopt a success mindset. On days when we feel like a mess and want to stay in bed, we have to challenge ourselves to get out of that zone. We have to go further when we are tired to set a standard for ourselves. Again, it is acceptable to fail in life, but it’s not OK to stay there. Today, make the conscious decision that you want more out of life. Make a choice to be better than yesterday because the biggest wall you will ever climb in your life is in your mind, and you put it there. So take a sledgehammer today and knock that wall down. You do not need it! Today, you are cruising with no intent for the E-brake to slow you down.
Until then,
Michael Rearden
Founder of Reven Concepts