This post is my attempt, as clumsy as it may be, to explain how engaging in the physical act of fitness and sport can be used as a tool for the soul. The results we seek are not found in the physical prowess gained from these activities. Inherently, I think we know this. However, we struggle to find the right words that would enable us to solidify this concept in our mind. It would serve us well, to understand the connection between the act of sport and the purpose it serves for our spiritual well-being.
Digging Deep for Monday’s Workout Motivation
Today, was a rough start at the gym. Trying to find that magical place in my mind of a healthy mindset; to be at peace with myself and the world around me. Not comparing myself to others and silencing my inner critic.
The question is…why do I train? What do I wish to gain from committing to this physical endeavor day in and day out?
It’s conflicting. We can risk becoming attached to the physical. Thinking that our worth is found in how much we can lift, how fast we can run, and seeking approval from ourselves in our reflections.
Do I lift to look good, or do I lift to get strong? And what will I do with the strength and fitness I have gained in the physical realm? If the body is merely a tool to be used by the soul, then what is the equation that leads from physical strength to the application of spiritual strength on the world around us?
Connecting the Dots-Fitness, Sport, and the Bigger Picture
If we are to live our life with purpose, and if each moment is a gift, to be used if we choose, to fulfill that purpose…then our time physically training would be precious and meant to be applied in the same way.
Our greatest strengths, and the only strengths that matter in the end…meaning those that add to our shared story are those that are largely intangible. They are inherent strengths not measured by any physical means. And when we affect each other, it is not measured in gold but rather, in how we make each other feel.
So here I stand, ready to begin my first lift of the day. How will the practice of this lift, the building of strength in my physical realm aid me in contributing to how I serve my purpose and positively affect the world in which I live? I must take time to make this connection. This moment of physical endeavor is precious and not to be wasted.
Finding Our FlowState of Mind
Viewed in a healthy perspective, with the acknowledgement that the sum of our worth is not found in the physical. The we can use our time during training to put into practice those concepts of motivation that keep us sharpened and focused on the bigger picture, and the real purpose of why we are here
Our soul has been given the tools of body and mind that we may play out on life’s chess board, all that is intended by spirit. It is okay that we use the physical to practice the applications of the spirit. As long as we do not become deceived and think that the sum of our spirit is found in physical result.
To increase what one can lift each day, proves the ability that each of us has to move closer to the goal of self-actualization – that is – the realization of all that we already are. We are souls passing through life in a vessel of the body. This physical plane can be a place of analogies; not to be taken literally, but even in small, every day, consistent acts – we can come closer to who we are.
Principles of Motivation and the FlowState of Mind
To keep faith and to stay motivated requires autonomy, mastery, and purpose. It is these three elements that are essential in all that we commit to if we are to maintain our trajectory and not lose sight of the end goal or ourselves in the process.
It is a concept, that needs to be regularly practiced. And ultimately, if this is to be successfully imprinted on the mind so that we safely land where our purpose calls us to be…we must complete the circuit of learning by demonstrating the concept physically.
Yes, we are spirit. But we are human in a physical place, and our physical minds, being tools for the soul’s achievement, deserve physical proof of our ability to move forward and progress.
The first element, that of autonomy, is found when each of us finds the physical activity or sport that we enjoy best. We are meant to excel in what we enjoy just as we are meant to enjoy that which we excel in most. A gifted psychologists would not be called to become an accountant. Sport is no different. Find the sport or activity that moves you and allows you to escape the pull of time, for the sheer joy and love of the activity.
Second, mastery is the joy of the challenge. The connection that is made between body, mind, and spirit, when a challenge is overcome. The spirit feels uplifted as its tools of the physical body and mind, expand, and grow as a result of being challenged. This act of overcoming builds strength. It is an act of incremental steps, laid down one after another of new accomplishments, leading us to the achievement of the goal. It creates a physical example of the ability to achieve, that can be witnessed by the mind, and felt by the soul.
Last, and my personal favorite is purpose. Purpose is that which links us to the bigger picture and our mission. Ultimately, it leads us to both our self-actualization and to the building of connections with each other. It is the ‘why’ behind what we do. In this case, it is the ‘why’ behind the commitment of the physical endeavor.
Final Thoughts: The FlowState for Workout Motivation
To come full circle and to enact these three elements of motivation is essential to keep faith in ourselves, and our purpose. The daily practice of this physical act, will model in a simple physical form that can be witnessed and felt by us, leaves us fueled for what’s next.
While this physical activity can be advocated for, based on the physiological need of the human body and the mental health state of our mind. Ultimately, it is the soul that enacts it’s purpose on life each day. And with the tools of body and mind now optimally set at the ready, the moments of each day can be achieved.
The tangible lessons learned in sport are then mirrored in the rest of our life’s work. We physically experience the concept coming to life. It creates a mental model, demonstrated in physical form, that can then be followed for the rest of our endeavors.