“But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and obtain life.” —Hebrews 10:39
In 2008, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings were in relentless pursuit of a second straight Olympic gold medal in women’s beach volleyball. When the forecast for the final in Beijing predicted pouring rain, I wondered if that would hurt their chances for gold. Sometimes bad weather can level the playing field. Little did I know, however, that the best beach volleyball duo of all time had planned for this.
May and Walsh had trained many times in the rain, refusing to use inclement weather as an excuse to take a day off and knowing they had to be equipped for any condition. Following their gold medal victory, Walsh shouted, "The rain makes it better. We felt like warriors out there! It could have been 500 degrees or 500 below, and we'd be happy."
Most people do not display that kind of relentless attitude when it comes to their health.
There are plenty who are consumed with leading a healthy life, but their lack of discipline and determination results in an unhealthy pursuit of it. Thinking about food all the time, they feel guilty after bad decisions, build “cheat days” into their schedule where they can eat anything they want, and become obsessed with their workouts. Their weight yo-yos and is reflected in phrases like, “I fell off the wagon,” “the holidays really crushed me,” or, “I’m back on track.” Fixation with appearance is the norm.
Perhaps we all fall into this category at some point in our lives.
At our worst, we feel tired, sick and fat, hating what we see in the mirror and tying our sense of identity and self-worth to our physical appearance. We are easily discouraged, frequently give up, and often get frustrated by a lack of progress or the inability to reach our goals.
At our best, we enjoy great energy, strength and endurance, viewing every setback as an op-portunity to be better. We see good health as something to be leveraged to maximize opportunities and carry out our God-given purpose.
So, are you relentlessly pursuing a healthy life? And, if so, are you doing it in a healthy way?
At the heart of every champion is a desire to be their very best. Champions have a tenacious, relentless pursuit of greatness, refusing to settle for anything less. They don’t easily let go, give in or give up on their goals. Fierce persistence and unyielding resolve define the great competitors throughout history. Athletes who are relentless with their conditioning, fuel, preparation and practice (and even with their rest) enjoy the best performance. Those who are sloppy or undisciplined in their approach never reach their full potential.
Every great competitor eventually gets to the place where they don’t have to think about what they are going to do. It simply becomes a way of life. Healthy people practice these five simple steps:
1. See the future. They have a picture in their minds about what they will accomplish, and they go for it.
2. Set clear goals. They break down the steps necessary to make progress and reach their objectives.
3. Refuse to make excuses. Life is full of choices, and they do whatever it takes to stay on track.
4. Revel in the toughest circumstances. While everyone else is complaining about “the weather,” they see it as an opportunity.
5. Recover from setbacks. They put disappointments behind them quickly and move forward, learning from but not dwelling on the past.
In Romans 12:1, we are encouraged to, “present [our] bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is [our] spiritual worship.”
Several years ago I discovered that I was missing more workouts than I was hitting, and I was frustrated with poor results. I didn’t feel good and was reaping the results of inconsistency. I blamed my schedule and responsibilities, but ultimately I was choosing to be less healthy than I could be. I was settling for mediocrity, and I really didn’t like it. Then something clicked, and I decided I would no longer accept excuses. My mantra became, “I train every day.” It made a remarkable difference and has been a catalyst for me to be my best.
If you’re tired of being inconsistent and continually making excuses, maybe it’s time to begin your own relentless pursuit of good health. Give God everything you have. You will not be disappointed.
Originally Published: July 2013