This afternoon I went on a run with my brother. As I got like five minutes into the run I remembered something... I don't really like to run. Then I started to question my abilities. Why was I even running if I don't enjoy it? Then this thought came into my head,
"A successful man is one who learns to do things he doesn't want to do." I decided to push myself. Negative thoughts kept coming in. "I can't do this." "I need to stop." "I don't need to exercise." "It's super hot out here." "My body is tired." I kept thinking that my body was going to give up. All I was doing was just breathing heavily and my legs were starting to feel a little weird, but I was fine. There was no reason to give up. I started making goals. "I'm going to run to the next mile marker." As we were almost done with our run, I saw the ending gate ahead. That was the "finish line". I kept thinking, "I can just stop and speed walk there- it's not that far." Then another thought came into my mind, "What if this was a test to be able to get into the Celestial Kingdom? What if I had to run all the way to the end or I couldn't get in the Kingdom?" I had to keep running. No way was I going to give up now if the Celestial Kingdom was right there. I was going to run all the way there. There is nothing more that I want than to get into the Celestial Kingdom. I had to keep pushing. When I ran through the gate I felt like I could do anything. I had made it. I accomplished my goal. I can do anything.
I thought of a similar experience I had this last winter at BYU. My roommate was my motivation to go running. One night we decided to go on a run to the Provo Temple. I had some similar negative thoughts come into my mind- thoughts that I wasn't good enough and that my body can just give up. Then I thought about my end goal- the temple. I saw temple peeking through the trees. I was almost there. I thought about how bad I wanted to get to the temple in my life. I wanted it so bad. The temple is my goal. I want to go through the temple. I want to get married in the temple. If that was my goal, I couldn't just give up and walk. I had to keep running. I pushed myself all the way to the temple. As I got the the beautiful glowing house of the Lord, it felt amazing. I made it.
Now next time I go running I need to just think of a goal that I want to achieve in my life, and push for it. I won't give up. I may not like running all that much, but I am grateful for the gift of my body and I want to obey the Word of Wisdom and keep my body healthy. So that's why I exercise. I want to keep good care of my body. I want to be healthy and happy. I can be successful in my life. I can learn to do the things that I don't want to do. I won't give up.
Don't give up on your goals. Keep pushing. Satan will tell you that you aren't good enough, that you don't deserve this. Don't listen. Keep going. You can make it.
