I was riding my bike up a particularly difficult hill the other day, huffing and puffing as I went. 7%-12% grades for a mile will make your legs burn and get you pretty out of breath.
I kept looking forward and each time I rounded a small turn I would just see another bump upward. Each time I saw the new obstacle I had a split second battle happening in my head between the side that felt dismayed and wanted to give up and the side that was excited and wanted to conquer the hill.
So I kept turning and looking behind me at how much I’d already climbed. Looking back at what you’ve done already can be the best motivation to press on toward the finish line with renewed gusto.
I finished that climb and I did it more than 2x faster than when I had first tried it. Look backward occasionally to motivate you forward.