“Your belief determines your action and your action determines your results, but first you have to believe.” ~Mark Victor Hansen
I still remember how I felt crossing the finish line after my first 10K race. I was elated. I felt like I could conquer anything.
I realize that for all you marathon runners, 10K may not seem like a big deal. But for me, it was monumental. Up until the two years prior to running my first race, the only running I did was in gym class (and only after trying anything I could think of to get out of it).
But somehow, one of my good friends convinced me to give it another shot. We enrolled in a “Learn to run” class. I have to admit, I felt pretty embarrassed taking a class that promised to teach me how to run. Shouldn’t I already know how to run?
But I showed up and I participated. For the first “run,” we practiced running one minute, then walking for two minutes. I thought I was going to die. Running for one minute felt excruciating. It wasn’t that I was out of shape. I went to the gym regularly. I tried to take care of myself.
But running—that was totally different. It felt impossible. Unachievable. I wanted to quit. I was not a runner after all. Why was I even doing this? What was I trying to prove?
But somehow, I found myself showing up for the next run. And the next run. And the next. Each time we added an extra minute of running, and less walking.
As we reached five minutes of running to one minute of walking, I had an epiphany. Running five minutes felt challenging, no question there, but I realized that it felt just as challenging as running one minute did. In fact, it felt exactly the same; I had to push myself in exactly the same way to run five minutes as I did to run one minute.
As we worked our way up to running ten minutes straight, I realized that this strange phenomenon was still true. Running for ten minutes felt just as hard as running for five minutes. Or, if I switched things around, running for ten minutes was no harder than running for five minutes.
This switch completely changed everything. I had started out believing that I wasn’t a runner, and that running was too challenging for me. After all, I struggled to run one minute straight. Now, just a few weeks later, I was running ten minutes straight for a total of five kilometers.
I realized the power that my thoughts had over my abilities, and how by taking small steps to push myself outside of my comfort zone, I was able to completely change how I thought of myself.
I no longer thought of myself as unable to run. I was now a runner. And as long as I continued to stretch, there was no limit to what I could do. I pushed through and ran my first 10K race the following year.
I don’t want to pretend that the whole process was easy, or that there weren’t challenges along the way. Each time I came to a plateau, I had to really challenge myself to go just a little further until that new place felt comfortable.
I learned to celebrate the small victories along the way. I learned that running really is 90% mental.
The most important piece of this whole experience, however, was learning that I was unknowingly placing restrictions on what I can accomplish. Where else had I decided I “just wasn’t good at that”? Where else was I failing to push myself out of my comfort zone?
Now, as a business owner, I can see the same process repeating itself. I’ve exposed myself and my work for everyone to see. I’m vulnerable. I wonder if I have what it takes. I come up with excuses for why I can’t show up, just like I did in gym class.
But this time I know that I have conquered this mental crap before, and I can do it again. It’s not easy, but I can push myself—take those small steps each day—until I reach my goals. I can celebrate the small victories along the way. I know that it is 90% mental, and I’m ready.
I would invite you to take a look at your life and ask yourself where you’re not showing up fully. For me, this shows up as excuses and stories that I tell myself and others when I feel challenged. It shows up as self-made boundaries that keep me feeling small and safe.
It isn’t until you begin to recognize your own sabotaging behavior that you are able to start shifting your beliefs. Once you start believing in yourself, you’re able to take those small steps forward that previously felt overwhelming or insurmountable.
Pay attention to the stories that you are telling yourself. These are the stories that become your reality. These are the stories that have the potential to write your future.
“Believe in yourself, and the rest will fall into place. Have faith in your own abilities, work hard, and there is nothing you cannot accomplish.” ~Brad Henry
Photo by Zach Dischner
About Michelle Kirsch
Michelle Kirsch is a transformational coach & writer who helps women increase their clarity & confidence and build a business that feels true and authentic. For fresh ideas & inspiration to create the business and life you desire, visit http://michellekirsch.com.
Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine. 
Very inspiring post – loved it! I used to think that there are things I’m good at, and others which I just can’t do. So I was always better in the things I believed I could do, and I didn’t even try to do the things which seemed hard. But then,life does forces you to push your limits once in a while. It was on such occasions that I’d reluctantly start to do the hard stuff,only to learn that I can actually be good at it if only I try to! And thus now I always try to overcome my excuses and at least make a start & believe that I CAN do it.
Congratulations on your accomplishment. I agree, progress is not possible within comfort zone. By taking small steps you can achieve (almost) anything.
But ten minutes straight for a total of five kilometers? Does that mean 5 km in 10 minutes? That would be unbeatable world record.
Anyway, thank you for your inspiring post.
Your belief drives your engine Michelle 😉 Thanks!
Lol! Thanks Miha, and no definitely not 5km in 10 minutes. I meant 10 minutes straight at a time with a minute of walking in between, as opposed to when I started where we were running one minute and walking for two. 😉
Thanks Ryan!
Yes! Exactly Atiba! It’s amazing what we can accomplish when we push through our limiting beliefs.
Great message! Thanks!
Thank you for the good essay. These self-imposed mental barriers help in a way. They make you think for one more moment before taking decision. Remember the saying: Look before you leap. But if we allow that to dominate our minds for more than a reasonable time, it becomes a stumbling block in our progress, what you have rightly called ‘sabotaging behavior.’
Thank you Michelle,this is just what I needed to read at this time in my life. I will print it off put it in my proactive positive folder so I can re read again again ..Ive been doing a bit too much self sabotage 🙂
Thank you Jan! I’m glad it resonated with you and I wish you all the best!
Great perspective, thank you for sharing!
What a powerful message & @@ what timing. I’m laying here in bed, with a terrible headache ( which I have been having for the past two decades). This pain has cost me soo much in life, your message made me reflect on my moods & thinking. I could continue to lay here & think about all the proactive stuff I could be doing or I can get up & actually do something about this pain.
Thank you ❤️
I love this message and it is so inspiring! I have Been writing more lately. I am doing with balance though. Before I was all or nothing. Then, I would throw in the towel and quit. We have strong abilities then we give ourselves credit for. Thanks for this article. I needed it today. 🙂
So true, the pattern of ‘all or nothing’ is one of my biggest pet peeves in many aspects of life as well….
“As we reached five minutes of running to one minute of walking, I had an
epiphany. Running five minutes felt challenging, no question there, but
I realized that it felt just as challenging as running one minute did.
In fact, it felt exactly the same; I had to push myself in exactly the
same way to run five minutes as I did to run one minute.” Reading that para really made me think about how its so true with so many aspects in my life as well & how I have gotten a similar ‘epiphany’ as well a number of times over the years…but I often tend to forget it soon afterwards, even though it may seem like a ‘simple wisdom.’ This was really encouraging & inspiring…hopefully, I can keep in mind more of the things you said here on a day-to-day basis…:). Thank you for sharing!
Great article! Keep up the great work!
Sometimes, though, is it not dangerous to push yourself past what feels right? It seems that a person could cause emotional or physical damage to themselves if they push harder when they’re already at the limit.
Yes that’s right. We can achieve anything if we believe we can. We should try a thing before saying we can’t. Nice post,thanks!
Thank you! I really relate to this and needed to read this. 5 years ago I never thought I could be a runner and was invited to join a beginner running group. I’d been over weight most of my life and had lost 30lbs at that point. Eventually working my way up to a full marathon and developing some amazing friendships in the process. (Lost 75lbs too) Life happened. A big move back to my hometown, going back to work full time after being home with kids and then the loss of my mother which was hardest of all, I lost my way. Gained back almost all the weight I lost and I can’t run a mile. Working on accepting this path as I know there is knowledge and strength I’ve gained from this. The moment I stop being mad at myself is the moment I can find my way back to an activity I love.
thanks hun im trying to quit smoking at the moment and this helps heaps
Conrats on your 10k accomplishment Michelle and on your insight around the non difference in one minute and five and so on, that’s really insightful and one we can apply to all our seemingly insurmountable challenges.. bit by bit, one thought at a time.. i love it, thanks so much for sharing.. I’m going to remember this as I feel those familiar feelings 🙂
Thank you so much Crystal and I’m glad you found it inspiring! I have been ‘all or nothing’ in the past well, so I know exactly what you mean. But it definitely doesn’t have to be that way 🙂
Thank you! It is such a simple concept, isn’t it? We tend to forget how everything we’re accomplished at was once difficult when we started. And just because something feels difficult, doesn’t mean that it’s not worth pursuing!
Thanks so much Melissa!
Absolutely, I think you have to listen to your intuition about what feels right for you. This is more about feeling like something is difficult, and therefore not wanting to even try 🙂
Thanks Emma! Good luck quitting smoking! One day at a time 🙂
Thanks Caroline! It’s so true and something we experience over and over, but we tend to forget how far we’ve come and how difficult something that’s now easy was in the beginning.
Thank you Joseph. I feel for you! I used to struggle with headaches as well. I think you have to be gentle with yourself, and start small, but taking those little actions can really add up 🙂
Great one Michelle. I am working out for 8 years now, previously I was professional kick-boxer, but now I started business with healthy food, blogs and other tiny incomes. I have to say that with my 8 years of working out experience, 3 marathons ( 2 of them half marathons) I have learned that success is finding comfort in the harsh times, or expanding the plateau, as you say it.
I don’t think, but I know, that every achievement, is it a marathon, business, professional athleticism, or what so ever, takes time, passion, purpose, and motive – a goal. You have to wake up and want to do the thing. Even if its not your day you must have a picture of your future self-image or how you want to end up, and stick to it until then.
I just made this conversation with my buddies and I think I should write it somewhere. It might help someone understand the process of success. Here it is, on this beautiful writing piece 🙂 Thank you for sharing this, great one again!
Thank you Michelle for your kind words, I am hard on my self. Which causes a snow ball effect with my head 🙁
I’m working towards being free of headaches, I’m eating very well, going to yoga every day & going to mental health professional to find out my triggers & !! going to a Natural Path for blood work & finding alternative for pain management.
Can you send me a personal email, explaining what cause the most improvement in your own life, with dealing with headaches.
Hi Joseph, it sounds like you are making a lot of positive changes to help you. Hopefully it will start making a difference soon. It will take time, so be patient with yourself 🙂
For me, I thought my headaches were migraines, but they turned out to be really bad tension headaches. It’s taken time and several lifestyle changes, such as getting rid of a long commute and a sedentary job, taking on less overall and focusing on self-care, such as time to meditate and recharge. I don’t think it was one particular thing, but instead the overall mindset shift and all the small changes that add up.
Feel free to get in touch with me on http://michellekirsch.com and good luck to you!
Thank you for a lovely article, which I can some ways relate to. It’s true that 10 mins can eventually feel like 1, to explain, the last 10 years I have suffered from severe arthritis in my left knee and for a while I could manage 1 hour on my exercise bike 5 days a week, then a few weeks back I had a terrible flare up and couldn’t even manage one rotation on my bike, I was in agony, went off to my ortho and was decide I need a Total Knee Replacement at 45 years of age! Got home and had all sorts of things running through my head, cause for me its a little risky because I also have Complex Regional Pain Syndrome which could get a lot worse with surgery. I contemplated how I was going to approach this situation. The more positive I thought about it, the negatives became less, it took practice, lots of it. I got back on my bike and slowly have gotten up to 2 x 15 min sessions a day, which ATM feels like it did at 2 mins, plus doing strengthening exercises, getting my leg strong for its new knee, its kinda strange but it almost feels like a second chance at life, a rebirth/awakening of sorts – walking is taken for granted, but I have a chance to walk again properly, to walk my dog, play with my kids, work without pain…its so exciting knowing what can be ahead for me and I’m not going to waste it. The mind is very powerful, I’m putting to good and positive use! (with practice and it does get easier 🙂 )
Thank you. I am having the same problem but with school and this is very helpful.