Don't Do Anything That Makes You Dislike Yourself

Doing things that make you dislike yourself is way too common.

How many times have you done something foolish, then sat on the couch at night, binging Netflix and inhaling a tub of ice cream to eat away the guilt? Did it work? I doubt it. Most likely, you disliked yourself even more the next morning.

There are a wide array of things that people do that result in a lot of personal dislike and pain later on down the road.

Many have pointed at a lack of long term perspective and oversight as the culprit for this type of personal error. However, most people KNOW what they are doing. Most people KNOW that they are going to be feeling a lot of pain later on because of their actions in the present. It’s not a lack of knowledge.

The true culprit is a lack of self-control. It’s the inability to control one’s self when things get tough; when anxiety and stress show up; when easier, more appealing options appear.

Now, triathlon is a tough sport. It requires a lot of determination to train and complete a race. There are moments of panic when athletes stress that they haven’t done enough. There are moments when a few nights off may seem appealing.

Do not be tempted to do something that is going to make you dislike yourself.

When these temptations come the following litmus test can be used to save yourself from all that self loathing and hate:

Ask yourself: “Will this make me dislike myself later tonight? Tomorrow? Next week? The week of my race? When my race is over?”

If the answer is yes (and to be honest, if there is any wavering whatsoever) do not follow through with the option you are weighing. It’s not worth it.

Having a dislike for oneself results in a very difficult cycle of experiencing a hurdle, choosing the easy way out, feeling remorse, and living with the consequences. The next time a hurdle comes up, there is much greater chance of doing the exact same thing - taking the easy way out. And so the cycle continues, and the dislike for oneself becomes greater and greater until all self-respect and confidence are gone.

Take the triathlete that hates the swim (gee, that’s pretty much all of them isn’t it?). They decide to skip their morning swim because the thought of their bed is much more comfortable. In the moment, they are happy they made that decision. After all, laying in one’s bed in the morning is one of the best things in life. Let’s be honest! But later that day, nearly every triathlete is going to begin to feel guilty.

The next morning session is harder to get up for. And the next. Pretty soon the athlete’s confidence to keep up at swim practice has taken a major hit, and the gap between where they should be and where they actually are is as wide as the Grand Canyon. And this makes the triathlete angry at themself (believe me - I’ve been there! And you most likely have been, too).

Do your future self a huge favour and learn to master self control.

DO NOT DO ANYTHING THAT WILL MAKE YOU DISLIKE YOURSELF.