My main exercise for the last several years has been mountain biking.  I am used to mountain biking where my mind is constantly working – eyes scanning the trail ahead, figuring out the best line, changing gears, and working hard to go as fast as possible without wrecking.  Recently I have started running again, and also joined our local gym and started working out with the weight machines.  This has put me in unfamiliar territory with my mind not as utilized and having nothing specific to focus on.  For me, this makes the workout more challenging as I have to overcome the physical exertion plus the potential mental boredom.

I figured out that saying “dig” in my head while working out is a great inspirational thing.  It is short, simple, and conveys so much in such a simple 3 letter word.  Dig for more energy, dig deeper into your reserves, dig in and push yourself further than you have before.  So now, while running or doing another set of boring reps on the weight machine, my new mantra is “dig”.