Motivation
There is a ton of written work about performance as well as the mindset behind training at a high level. This also extends to the business world although I try to stay clear of "hustle-bros" even though my 5am wake up to get a run in before family duties take over is a check on the list.
On this page I have collected some of the quotes which have resonated with me.
If you think something hard is impossible, you'll never even start trying to achieve it.
Peter Thiel has this quote quite early in Zero to One. My experience, at least in training, has been to go for hard goals and then it usually works out. For my first marathon build I was aiming for an 2:45 marathon and, although I finished with 2:49, setting this goal motivated me more in training. The goal, whilst also a roundish number, also would provide guaranteed entry for future Berlin entries.
There are a lot of times when you don't even attempt things because they seem impossible, but breaking this down a little and getting started (whilst still keeping the big goal in mind) leaves you at a better position if you didn't start at all.
In terms of setting race goals, Victor Smångs told me that you should always have ambitious goals, but then finally race to the fitness that you are at.
If you think something hard is impossible, you'll never even start trying to achieve it.
This quote comes from Matt Fitzgerald's book "On Pace: discover how to run every race at your real limit ".
I have the feeling that (especially within sport) people will set themselves limits. Goals should be a bit scary but we have the opportunity to adjust the times when closer to the race - before that you can be ambitious (whilst still making sure training paces aren't too hard) to train for the goals that are ambitious.
Fear shackles your expectations and expectations are the power behind your ambitions.
I came across this in Fear Less by Dr Pippa Grange. She goes on to explain that specialness is overplayed, that capability is (falsely) attributed to just a select few. Expecting little of yourself will naturally limit you.