Every year as a triathlon coach, I have conversations with athletes looking to overcome lulls in motivation. These typically happen when training conditions are tough, such as in the middle of Winter or the heat of Summer. Training isn’t as “fun” during these periods, and A-races are often many weeks away. Certainly, there are ways to make training engaging, such as instilling additional variety into sessions, scheduling B/C races, working out with others, etc. However, these external “hacks” only go so far. They’re more of a temporary band-aid on a deeper wound. What athletes often need is to make sense of the deeper purpose behind their endurance pursuits by appealing to virtue ethics. I believe that to truly excel, you need to connect the value of doing difficult things (i.e., doing the work when it isn’t euphoric or when you lack motivation), to higher intrinsic virtue. My personal favorite appeal, and one which is particularly useful for achieving more in athletics and life, is that of “mastering yourself.”
Said more directly, the higher purpose of training/racing is for you to master yourself. That’s it. Everything else, such as race results, a strong physique, longevity, and even consistency, are peripheral outcomes of fulfilling this virtue.
Appealing to virtue is not a new concept — it’s ancient
There have been many philosophical frameworks offered by philosophers/intellectuals throughout human history on how to live a good and meaningful life (whatever that means). One could spend a few lifetimes debating whether the stoics, religionists, existentialists, nihilists, or some other group cracked the code, though I believe that achieving long-term consistency in any challenging endeavor requires the connection of said pursuit to one’s value system. Although different philosophical schools prioritize different values, there is a loose thread woven through most, which holds that living in accordance with certain virtues is essential and meaningful. Doing that which gives life meaning is fulfilling and “good.”
What is a virtue? It’s a deep-seated character trait/belief that informs how you live and act. While philosophical schools vary in how to think about or apply virtues in certain situations, they agree that living virtuously is morally good. Striving to intrinsically embody virtues is good. When I discuss “Mastering Yourself,” I am talking about using the concept not only as an independent virtue, but also as a catchall concept that involves manifesting other virtues. It’s a nice motivating aim that simplifies the web of virtue ethics for anyone who doesn’t want to get a Ph.D. in philosophy.
What does this mean for endurance athletes in a rut?
To get out of a motivation rut, you must find meaning and purpose in your endurance training endeavors and learn to cherish the process. To do this, you must view the pursuit of excellence in endurance training/racing highly enough that it becomes a moral good rooted in virtue (e.g., self-mastery). I know it’s a high ask to tie swimming, cycling, running, etc., (all of which some might categorize as diversions or pastimes) to any concept of morality. Indeed, at the surface level, you should not overvalue these disciplines. I do posit, however, that pursuit of excellence in these disciplines offers opportunities to master yourself in a way that only those who attempt to reach a high level in athletics, academics, business, etc., can know.
When you find intrinsic meaning through mastering yourself by “doing the work,” it is much easier to find joy in the process, achieve consistency, and avoid burnout. Instead of thinking, “I have to do this workout because I have a race coming up,” you pivot to considering, “completing this workout is another opportunity to exhibit self-mastery, and I am the type of person who values mastering myself.”
Be grateful for adversity: It’s an opportunity to master yourself
Stoics and other adherents to some type of virtue ethic view life challenges (like endurance training or mastering oneself) as opportunities to exercise virtue. Seneca said “No man is more unhappy than he who never faces adversity. For he is not permitted to prove himself.” Isn’t this exactly what endurance training and racing are about? They are arenas for actualizing and proving yourself. If you care about mastering yourself, then every workout, every early wake-up call, every skipped vice, and every race, is an opportunity to manifest the virtuous discipline of self-mastery. When you adopt this framework, “the process” rather than extrinsic reward becomes the central meaningful focus, even as positive outcomes/rewards take care of themselves.
The pragmatic connection between performance in athletics and life
One concept we often discuss with our athletes is that success in athletics is tightly correlated with success in other areas of life. There is something that separates average Joes from the titans in any field. Sometimes it’s inherent talent, but even more often, it’s belief in the value of doing hard things regardless of motivation. The greats are consistent over the long term because they’ve mastered themselves (at least in areas required for success), and this mastery leaches over to how they perform across disciplines. Yes, you can be “good” by latching on to extrinsic motivation. But the true greats have assimilated into their character certain virtues that give them no choice but to be great. This makes consistency and high-performance in endurance sports, and everything else, easy.
… Give yourself no choice but to be great. Master yourself.
Conrad Goeringer is an Ironman Certified Coach based out of Nashville, TN. He is the founder of Working Triathlete and author of the book The Working Triathlete. His passion is helping athletes of all levels and with all schedules achieve their endurance goals. Reach out to learn more about coaching packages and for a free consultation.