This isn’t my first restart. I’ve laced up before, made promises to myself before, and fallen off before. In fact, I’ve signed up for two half marathons in the last two years—and both times, I left my bib sitting on the table at the health expo, never even showing up to pick it up. That’s how far off track I was.
But this time is different. I didn’t just approach it with more positivity—I came in with a businesslike mindset.
If I want to fill these pages with running stories, I actually have to run. There’s no room for the old mental back-and-forth of “I don’t feel like it today.” It’s just something that has to be done.
Building the Right Mindset
Mindset starts the night before. I lay out my running gear on the coffee table in the living room—the place I’ll get dressed quietly so I don’t wake up my wife. It sounds simple, but it’s a ritual. I’m telling myself before I even go to bed: I am running tomorrow.
On my most recent run, I had something extra to look forward to—a new pair of socks to test. Sometimes it’s small details like that that make getting out the door a little easier.
The key, though, was not making my first run miserable. I didn’t pick a super hilly route or try to punish myself. If you hate your first run, it’s a lot harder to be excited about the second. Starting smart has helped keep momentum on my side.
James Clear put it best:
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”
With each run, I’m casting a vote for being a runner—not just a guy trying to run again.
Why Motivation Feels Different This Time
My motivation hasn’t changed much over the years. I still want to lose weight, I still want to run a half marathon. But the urgency is different now. I just turned 44. I’m running out of chances to turn things around.
In the past few years, the downward spiral was real. More medications, new ailments, less energy, and a bad attitude that spilled into every part of life. I’d sit in my recliner, scrolling my phone, telling myself I “deserved” to rest after working hard. And yet the rest didn’t make me feel better—it made me feel stuck.
This time, motivation isn’t just about looking better or crossing a finish line. It’s about calming the storm of my life. I’m balancing a full-time job, a side job, coaching baseball, serving on the school board, and being present for my family. Adding half marathon training and blogging might sound crazy, but for me, it’s the way forward. Running gives me more energy, a clearer head, and the hope of dropping medication and gaining years back.
And yes—part of the motivation is simple and honest: I want to look better naked. Who doesn’t?
The Businesslike Approach
Here’s where the real shift has happened: I’m treating running like an appointment I can’t miss. Like brushing my teeth or showing up for work, it’s not up for debate.
That “non-negotiable” mindset is what’s helping me stay consistent. Laying out the socks, setting the alarm, and knowing I’ve signed up for both a 5K and a half marathon means there’s no wiggle room to let myself off the hook.
Discipline isn’t about hyping yourself up every morning—it’s about removing the decision altogether.
Looking Ahead
Right now, everything feels like it’s clicking. But I know the real test is coming. There will be mornings I don’t want to run, weeks when life gets overwhelming, or runs that just feel terrible. That’s where mindset and motivation collide.
When that adversity comes, I’ll remind myself why I started, and I’ll trust the mindset I’m building now. The runs may be small, but they’re votes. And over time, enough votes add up to real change.
So if you’re thinking about starting—or starting again—take a hard look at your “why.” Build your mindset before you need it. Set yourself up so that when your alarm goes off, there’s no debate, only action.
Because every step you take isn’t just a run. It’s a vote for the person you want to become.
