Athletes who've competed at high levels in their sport know how crucial training is to their performance. There are a select number of athletes who seem to be addicted to training. These people not only make training look like a walk in the park, but they also seem to enjoy it! My theory is that they've mastered the art of tricking their brain into thinking that a workout is fun. Either way, most athletes can agree that the training that goes into becoming a high performance athlete is far from enjoyable. We don't do it because its fun, easy, or painless. We do it because we know that the struggle will help us succeed. We do it with a goal in mind, and hope to reap the benefits of a fit body once we step out on the field, rink, track, or court. As a result, a sane person can only get through such grueling experiences (Only to do it again the next day) by programming their brain to think a certain way. Here's a few of the thoughts the average athlete might have when trying to get through a tough training session.
1. It's almost over!
It's not almost over. You know it's not almost over, but if you didn't tell yourself it was almost over, you would never get through the workout. You've come too far to quit now, so you must resort to tricking yourself into finishing.
2. I did this before, I can do it now.
When you are staring down a bar with 45's and some change on each side, it can be a little intimidating. This is where you remind yourself that what you are facing isn't impossible. You just have to push through the fear and revisit the place that you've been before. No big deal, right?
3. I will survive.
You know your coach is about to have you do a full field sprint on top of some shorter sprints, so how do you find motivation to step to the line? Well, before you start believing that death is a possibility, you have to convince yourself that it isn't. Otherwise stepping on that line would be ridiculous.
4. I'm gonna die.
Well, hopefully not, but it sure feels like it. This is the thought you have right before you snap yourself back into reality. You are in the middle of finishing your last sprint, and it feels like you might not make it. You're in so much pain that you might even be okay if it all ended right in this moment, but in the back of your head you know it will all be okay.
5. Just one more...
It could be a set, a rep, or a sprint. It doesn't even matter if you only have one of these left or not. Chances are, you'll tell yourself there's just one left just to get yourself to keep going.
6. Just _______ more seconds.
This could be for anything from planks to sprints. Either way, you'll find yourself continue to tell yourself just (fill in however many seconds you have left) more seconds until the clock strikes zero.
7. This is totally worth it.
Whether you believe it or not, you will find yourself saying that every drip of sweat is totally worth whatever it is you're training for. If you didn't at least try to convince yourself that this was true, you would never waste your time continuing to subject yourself to the pain that comes with your workout.
Once everything is said and done, you can say you survived a brutal workout. Although the workout sucked, it's pretty cool to feel accomplished. 
