I’m not sure about you, but it has always been easier for me to motivate others than to motivate myself. I am a coach at heart, and I love to see people grow.

From baseball, to softball, to climbing, to running, I’ve been blessed to encourage people to set and work towards a goal. Many of the people that I have coached over the years quit once they lost motivation or the going got too tough.

Quitting is relatively easy. Sure, you have to deal with others ribbing you about not finishing what you started, and for some people, there is an internal nagging that you gave up. But at least you don’t have to stand in that batter’s box, or do a long run, or do more pushups and pull-ups ever again.

If you’ve never ran 8 to 10 miles, you may not be able to grasp how much time your mind has to talk you into quitting. If you’ve never taken 5 to 10 hard ground balls off of your chest, arms, or even your face, you might not understand how quickly your mind tells you that it would be easier…even better if you never did this again.

Others that I’ve coached have excelled. They worked hard, and found ways to motivate themselves. They learned how to be strong mentally on long runs. They focused on their end goal while taking hours of batting practice to work on their timing.

I won’t mention names, but I was blessed to watch several people go beyond what they thought their limits were on the hike up Flattop Mountain in Anchorage, Alaska. Check out the picture at the top of this post. I was able to motivate some to keep going for 5 more minutes, and then convincing them at the end of those 5 minutes to go for 5 more before eventually making it to the top.

Seeing someone experiencing the accomplishment of doing something that they never thought they could do encourages me. So…why is it hard at times to motivate yourself?

This morning, I walked out to the garage, and I paused for a moment as the dynamic duo (the treadmill and loaded backpack) looked back at me. Knowing how difficult the next hour or so would be, the thought of walking back in the house and sitting on the couch was of the forefront of my mind.

We’ve been planning this trip for months. The excitement is building, but at times, I still have a lack of motivation.

2 Chronicles 15:7 But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

I’m taking this verse slightly out of context here. It wasn’t written to motivate me to strap a 40 pound backpack on and walk uphill for an hour to still be in the same place I started, but it is key to understand that everything that we do, we should do it as unto the Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

The Last Hurrah trip isn’t about me. It isn’t even about Maddie. It is about seeking ways to bring glory to God. Whether it be encouraging someone at the crag, sharing my story with someone that hears about the trip, or even seeking to encourage you on this blog, we have the opportunity to glorify God each and every day!

I hope that you will be motivated to do your very best today as a way of thanking the Lord for the gifts and abilities that He has given you.

For the record, the dynamic duo got beat down this morning!

Because He Calls, Old Climbing Dad