I have been fascinated by the various ways in which my mind encourages me to make excuses in an effort to detract me from the goals I have chosen to pursue.

With my choice to run each morning for thirty minutes before work I seem to be constantly managing excuses which start even before I get out of bed – sometimes even before I get into bed the night before!

As follows:-

• I think you night be coming down with a cold
• The forecast is for ground frost tomorrow
• It was really cold yesterday
• You might slip and fall
• Its dark down that track at this time of year
• You’ve been twice this week already, have a day off
• You’ve had an offer of sex – no brainer!
• Have a lie in
• Will you be at that meeting on time
• Its cold
• I’m tired
• You were late to bed last night
• etc etc etc

There are occasions when I will succumb to an excuse and I will decide not to run, but these are rare occurrences for me.

One of my goals has been to embed and change my behaviour and in order for me to do this I have had to make those changes a routine, not an option.

At this time of year, in the dark and cold each morning it is quite hard to remain focused, but my running is for me an important meeting of two halves of self.

On the one hand, my need to feel the strength of my body increase and to overcome the tired muscles and heavy legs and freezing fingers and thumbs which are present in the early stages of my run.

These discomforts are offset half way through the run, with a warming up and a motion which allows me to be with my soul – to pay attention to my emotional needs which are in tune, for that brief time, with the motion of my body.

So, no excuses!

My next blog will be: The Effort Behind Delivery

William Defoe