So you’re keen to get out into the great outdoors and try running, hiking, or camping? Maybe you’ve created a plan for yourself but haven’t been able to stick to it? You’re scrolling through Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook and seeing everyone else having fun – but you don’t know where to start?
Ugh…and now you’re kicking yourself for not being able to do what everyone else seems to be doing.
Hold up and take a breath. I’m here to give you some fundamentals for mindset, routine, and daily habits that will help set you up for success and achieve your goals – whether it’s your first 5-kilometre run, a day walk, or a multi-day expedition. I’ve spent literally years developing my knowledge about all this by going through the trial and error of what works, and what doesn’t. Below is what I’ve learned.
I’ll start by lifting the curtain on what’s going on behind the scenes in your brain. From there, I’ll outlined both a day and week in my life including what I do and don’t do, as well as some content I love to start filling your brain with the good stuff!
I’ve spent literally years developing my knowledge about all this through trial and error. Credit: Cheeky Weka Media
Mindset
It’s a word thrown around all over the show. There are a bunch of apps that are supposed to help with it, and every second ad is probably telling you they have the solution to your problem. Maybe you’ve tried a bunch of methods, and nothing has worked?
Here’s an analogy for you: imagine that your brain is 100 horses (stay with me!). Five of those horses are your ‘conscious’ brain, which you are driving in the direction you want to go. The other 95 are your ‘subconscious’ brain – if they’re pulling in the opposite direction, sitting still, or just aren’t down with your plan, you are fighting a losing battle. So much of the time we are trying to drive our brain with the five horses, completely forgetting about the other 95!
So when we talk about ‘mindset’, we are actually talking about something much bigger – and if we don’t get that right, we can set ourselves up for failure. The good news though, is that we can train the other 95 horses to all be heading in the same direction… and you don’t need me to tell you that 100 horsepower is better than five, right?!
To train your mindset, you need to reprogram the subconscious and that is done through repetition and retraining. Think about it for a minute: how did you get to where you are now? By repeating a bunch of thoughts and behaviours over and over. So, it makes sense that to get to a different outcome you need to change both the thoughts and the behaviours.
It’s also important to note that reprogramming your brain can be uncomfortable. Our bodies and brains are beautifully wired to seek comfort and avoid discomfort. But the more we step out of our comfort zones, the more we reprogram the system – and the more we set ourselves up for success.
To train your mindset, you need to reprogram the subconscious through repetition and retraining. Credit: Cheeky Weka Media
Routine
What’s your daily routine like? Maybe the alarm sounds, and you hit snooze? Perhaps the first thing you do is reach for your phone? Check the notifications? Maybe you scroll through Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, and feel bad?
Now – what would you do differently if you wanted to train those 95 horses to go in the same direction as the other five of your good intentions? Your daily routine can either help or hinder you, and it will either bring you closer to or further from your goals. If you want to examine your daily routines, you can start to take notice of your behaviours and ask some questions.
Does this behaviour serve me? Is it bringing me closer to my goals? What could I do differently right now?
When you do this, you are changing the routine of your thoughts which in turn changes the routine of your behaviours. People often think you need motivation to achieve goals, but that is wrong. You need a solid routine that you choose to stick to because it is going to support you to achieve your goals.
Also, here’s a newsflash: you might not always enjoy it. Yeah, I went there! Do you think mountaineers love getting up at 3:00am or 4:00am to hit their objective? Honestly, probably not (I don’t, I love to sleep)! However, we know that the objective is worth the pain of the early morning start. It’s that ‘comfort/discomfort’ thing again.
A routine also provides a set of behaviours that allows you to be the person you want to be before you actually achieve the goal. Adopt the routine of a runner, hiker, or mountaineer and pretty soon you’ll be one. When I first started running, I had just quit a 10-year, twenty-a-day smoking habit, and I had never intentionally nor willingly run a step in my life. But, I committed to a running program and the routine of a runner – and 15 years later, I am one. My running has taken me to some amazing places, and brought me a life I couldn’t have even dreamed of all those years ago.
The objective is worth the pain of the early morning start. Credit: Cheeky Weka Media
Daily Habits
A routine can be broken down into daily habits, and when we break things down into manageable ‘chunks’ we are much more likely to succeed. The daily habits for success will vary depending on what it is you want to achieve. There are, however, some fundamentals that apply across the board.
There needs to be a daily habit of training those 95 horses; your subconscious. If you continue to keep driving with only your conscious mind, you might achieve small wins but you’re likely to miss the overall target. Training the subconscious mind can be done in a few ways including meditation and visualisation, thought work to rewire your brain, and coaching from a qualified professional. Whichever way you do it, it’s got to be a daily habit.
Reducing your choices is another fundamental. Of the following, which sounds easier?
- Having your clothes laid out the night before, or trying to figure out in the morning what you are going to wear to work when you’re already pressed for time?
- Getting to lunchtime before thinking about what to eat, versus prepping your food for the week on a Sunday to have your lunch break free for training or doing something you love.
The daily habits for success will vary depending on what it is you want to achieve. Credit: Cheeky Weka Media
Bringing it all Together
I say all this from my experience over the years of working to achieve goals, overcome obstacles, and grow as a person to live a life I love. For me, that means a life of adventure, the outdoors, and pursuing goals – big and small – with the people I love.
So, here’s a snapshot of a day and week in my life, and some of my go-to’s for great, inspiring content:
Saturday / Sunday:
Setting up for the week to come.
- Food-prep breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the week.
- Write up my whiteboard for the week ahead with training, appointments, and events.
- Plan for what is to come – which sets me up for success.
On Saturday or Sunday, I food-prep breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the week. Credit: Cheeky Weka Media
A Day in My Life:
Wake Up:
- Drink coffee (!)
- Before I turn my phone on, I complete my journaling tasks for 15 minutes, and write my daily actionable tasks.
- I also meditate on my current goals for a few minutes.
During the Day:
- Work
- Eat the food I’ve prepped on the weekend
- Complete the tasks and training I’ve outlined on the weekend, as well as my daily tasks.
- Give myself a high five for doing the things I’ve planned.
I Avoid:
- Watching or listening to the news
- Clicking on articles on social platforms or reading notifications that are going to put negative news into my mind.
- Following anyone whose content makes me feel bad in any way. Remember when I mentioned training the horses? Well, what do you think is the best thing to feed them? Positivity or negativity?
I Embrace:
- Listening to podcasts whenever I’m driving, books, or training that will improve me as a person.
- Taking in my surroundings. Some call it ‘presence’ – for example, I might watch birds having a mud bath, notice the wind in the trees, and just spend some time being present and grateful. These are the everyday moments that can bring peace and joy.
I Commit To:
- A good routine
- Filling my life with things that help me be a better person
- Taking responsibility for my life and future.
I’m Working On:
Doing what I’m less inclined to do straight away, instead of putting it off (I’m training some horses)! I’m an incredibly driven person and I’m great at smashing goals – BUT, I do have a tendency to procrastinate on things that I don’t love doing!
What has Changed my Life the Most:
Realising that I am in charge of my thoughts and that I create my reality. These beliefs make me a force to be reckoned with, help me embrace life, and always have me in charge of my life situation rather than a victim of it.
Before I turn my phone on, I complete my journaling tasks for 15 minutes, and write my daily actionable tasks. Credit: Cheeky Weka Media
Content to Check Out:
Audio:
Lisa Tamati’s podcast – Pushing the Limits
Dulkara Martig’s podcast – Untamed Aotearoa
Senka Radonich’s podcast – She Adventures
Spotify – Motivational Speech to Music, Fearless Motivation
Books:
Eckhart Tolle – The Power of Now,
Mark Manson – The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***
don Miguel Ruiz – The Four Agreements
If you’re interested in finding out more, you can reach out to me on my socials @runliketanya on Instagram or Facebook.
Balance is an intentional act! Credit: Cheeky Weka Media
How does your daily routine help you achieve your goals?
My name is Tanya aka – Run Like Tanya.
Happy, limitless and free is my motto. I love to share my big adventures in trail running and the outdoors to inspire others to get out after it and to dream big too! You can find me on Instagram and Facebook (@runliketanya), or online at runliketanya.com