Monday, February 07, 2011

DISCIPLINE

As readers of my blog will know I have been struggling nearly 2 years to be able to swim 1 mile a day as I used to. All to no avail. I was exhausting myself.  Each time I went pool I was determined to do the mile and I often could not and even when I did I ruined my day and the next day with pain and exhaustion.

I recently determined that I would stop doing this.  I decided that I would go to the swimming pool with a set figure in my head. I even decided that I would go late for my swim instead of in the very early morning.

This has been of great help and as a result I have swum more days in the last eight then I have been doing.

What I noted was that it also takes self-discipline to stop myself from overdoing things.  I listened to that old parental voice in my head about being lazy etc and was determined that I would be disciplined about keeping mobile is possible.

I have come to realise that for me to give myself a reasonable number of laps to do and to stick to that regardless of how I feel when I have done that number, takes discipline on my part.  Due to me giving myself a reasonable number I am not knackered when I finish. It is therefore tempting for me to do more laps.  I do not do it I just get out of the pool.  I know that if I give in to be urged to do more I will set myself up for failure and pain and exhaustion.

The same goes for eating.  I find I have to be as disciplined about eating the right amount of food.  I can so easily under eat and of course sets me up for over eating.  I have known this one for years.

I am now applying the same principle to my swimming and I am sure that there are other areas of my life that will apply to as well.

1 comment:

Jo :) said...

That's so awesome that you can do that. I have no self discpline. And no matter how hard I try sometimes especially with food, I just can't stop myself, especially sugar, I have a little and need more so badly that I feel it physically.
Discip[line is good! You are lucky :)