It’s amazing how self-limiting beliefs can keep us from achieving literally anything we put our minds to.
Now those of you who run half-marathons and marathons all the time might be wondering why I’m making such a big deal out of one little half-marathon. Well, when I decided to run this race, I had never run more than 4 miles at once…. I’ve never been a distance runner, never will be…. or at least that’s what I told myself. Running 13.1 miles was the same as running to the moon in my mind.
But I wanted to do something different in 2010. Something new and exciting that would push my comfort level. So I made the decision to run the 2010 Pittsburgh Half-Marathon, got myself a training schedule from runnersworld.com and got moving.
Training wasn’t easy, but with every additional mile that I pushed my personal best it was soo rewarding! If you missed them here are two other posts I did throughout my training:
Olympic Gold Medal Style Determination
Ignore Your Body, Tune Into The Power Of Your Soul
I’m not going to sit here and tell you that the race was easy. But a day and a half later, I’m alive and well…just a little sore…and I feel GREAT! So really, what is it that holds us back? I think you would be surprised that it’s not so much the physical limitations as the mental limitations. And the funny thing is, where do these limitations come from? They come from the way you see yourself your entire life, things you’ve been told by family and friends… and one by one your little box starts to form. So put a foot through that box and break it up! Show your friends, family, and most importantly YOURSELF that ANYTHING is possible when you put your mind to it!
Enjoy the race-day video I’ve put together for you from my favorite city on the planet, Pittsburgh.
If I have inspired you in any way to step outside your limiting beliefs I will consider my goal reached. I truly believe that we are all much more powerful than we give ourselves credit for.
Please leave me a comment below about a time when you have stepped outside of your limiting beliefs, or if there is a project you are currently working on (such as training for an athletic competition) that will push you to the limits! Do you have a public speaking engagement lined up, new opportunity that you have decided to capitalize on as opposed to turn down because it was “scary”, or anything at all that is beyond what you ever thought possible for yourself. I would LOVE to hear about it!
I look forward to speaking with you again soon!
To Your UNLIMITED Potential,
P.S. Please share this with your friends on Facebook and Twitter if you enjoyed it! 
Amanda,
Thanks for sharing this moment when you really stepped outside the box and broke free of limiting beliefs. Amazing when you look back, isn’t it!
I’ve been stepping outside my limiting beliefs for the past few years now. Learning to step out of the box I had built around me and really open up to connections with others. Honestly, I hadn’t thought of how much I have stepped out of those old limits until reading your post.
Thanks for giving me this opportunity to thank the Universe for bringing into my life what I needed at each time. Have an amazing day Amanda
Val
.-= Val Wilcox´s last blog ..A Journey into Self- Discovery =-.
Amanda Reply:
May 4th, 2010 at 4:52 pm
@Val, isn’t it a wonderful feeling to look back and see how far you’ve come!? When you put a signal out to the universe, it responds. Be determined to be all that you can be and the universe will give you the means to do so.
Glad you enjoyed the video Val!
That is wonderful Amanda, congratulations! It is truly amazing what we can accomplish when we push all the crap aside and accept nothing less than the possibility that we CAN do something versus the fallacy that we can’t.
Thank you so much for sharing your accomplishment with us!
Kitara
.-= Kitara R. Wilson´s last blog ..The Law of Reflection : christywhitman.com =-.
Amanda Reply:
May 4th, 2010 at 8:02 pm
@Kitara, I absolutely agree! I love the way you worded that!
Hi Amanda, Thanks for your positive attitude; it is infectious. I have quit my job and started a business. There’s really no safety net, and it feels uncomfortable from time to time.
So far as the company has needed resources and help it somehow appears. A person once said, “Its better to be lucky than good”. I’m starting to feel very lucky.
.-= Calvin´s last blog ..Rebranding A Struggling Consumer Product =-.
Amanda Reply:
May 4th, 2010 at 8:06 pm
@Calvin, I’m so glad that you enjoy my message!
I actually believe that “luck” as people refer to it, is really a result of your hard work and positioning yourself to be open to accept those resources. What are your thoughts?
Thanks for stopping by!
WHOO HOOO! You rock Amanda! All the way, look at you! I love seeing women step out and do what they want to do regardless if it’s easy, hard… no matter… you’re a great role model… thanks for sharing!
.-= Debbie Turner´s last blog ..Believing You Are Not Good Enough to Lead Is Setting Yourself Up To Fail =-.
Amanda Reply:
May 4th, 2010 at 8:15 pm
@Debbie, aww thank you Debbie!
I appreciate your support!
Hey Amanda Great Job!
.
From an x-marathoner in my younger years I know it truly is an accomplishment. Not only that, to run in the rain or drizzle or wet anything makes it a much bigger triumph. As you know the rain weighs you down, makes the run uncomforable and robs your body of heat. No biggie if it is just a 20 min run, but big deal for 2+ hours.
So Congrats. By the way, it can get addictive and would not surprise me if next year we are watching your marathon tape
God Bless,
Bruce
.-= Bruce Cagle´s last blog ..How I See Online MLM Marketing and How You can Make it in MLM =-.
Amanda Reply:
May 4th, 2010 at 8:19 pm
@Bruce, thanks for stopping by with your running tips! Yes, the rain made it interesting! Not sure about a FULL marathon yet, but definitely more halves lie in store for me!
Thank you SO much for your kind words!
Great job girl!! You made the commitment and did it. That will translate to so many other things in your life. Way to go
.-= Alyse Williams´s last blog ..You MUST Invest In Your Business… But Only If You Want Success =-.
Amanda Reply:
May 4th, 2010 at 8:20 pm
@Alyse, thanks girl! Good luck in your half-marathon training as well! Keep us updated!
Congrats to you Amanda!! Yea, you did it!! That is the power of what happens when we put our mind to something we want to accomplish!! This translates to all things in our life!! Keep it going!!
Amanda Reply:
May 5th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
That’s absolutely right @Trish, it does translate to all areas of your life! Thanks for the well wishes!
Hi,Amanda! Thanks for sharing your great excitement with us…it’s really inspiring! and also for you showing to all of us,that it can be done,if we are willing and determined to do it. I am learning more each day and pushing myself to do more,than just normal day-to-day routine…and it’s hard not to get excited,if you are around exciting people. Have a great day and God bless!
Amanda Reply:
May 14th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
@Marvin, that’s absolutely right! We can do anything we put our minds to!
Appreciate your input!
What a great video Amanda. Congrats. I remember you putting this out there a while ago and i know you’ve been working your tail off at it.
Fantastic!
Amanda Reply:
May 5th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
Thanks @Glenn! It feels great to have achieved my goal!
Way to go Amanda!
That is a great time for a half!
It’s so great to see you set out
to do something… and then cross
that finish line.
What a great feeling, right?
Much love to you Amanda!
.-= Eric Goldstein´s last blog ..5 Affirmations To Change Your Life =-.
Amanda Reply:
May 5th, 2010 at 6:05 pm
@Eric, you have no idea! Well, actually you do Mr. fellow runner!
But yes, it feels amazing! I was pleased with that time for my first race. Thanks for stopping by rockstar!
Wow Amanda, I am so impressed! You are awesome! That was an incredible accomplishment. You are my new role model girl. Congratulations – your rocked it! And your video is super impressive! Love to you! Jan
.-= Jan Hill´s last blog ..How to Plan the Ultimate New Dental Patient Experience =-.
Amanda Reply:
May 8th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
@Jan, thank you! I appreciate you so much!
Well done Amanda for pushing your envelope. We are all Olympians who have our own challenges and personal bests (or worsts if we never try anything)to beat. Finishing was starting for you, starting to go beyond and making something new happen. Bravo to that.
A few years ago after being ill for 18 months I was asked to write a column in a magazine about a positive life. I baulked at it for a while feeling I had nothing to contribute (for the magazine and life) but was encouraged to go for it. I wrote that column for 8 years and had comments from many countries! You never know if you don’t grow. Life is our soil, we are the seed, our troubles and joys the rain and sun. With them all combined we rise.
Hope you’ve recovered and are off on new journeys (or races) soon.
.-= John Sherry´s last blog ..4 Benefits of being an Early Bird Riser =-.
Amanda Reply:
May 8th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
@John, you inspire me! Your absolutely right about the growth process. What a boring and unfulfilling life it would be if we never pushed ourselves. Just think about how many people you touched with your column. Bravo!
That is a fantastic quote! Going to have to share that one!
Thanks for your wonderful input!
Hi Amanda,
First of all congratulations. You inspire me to get out of the comfort zone. You are right, the ‘impossible’ is just in the mind.
Many people start to do things but never finish them. If I look around, I have remnants of many things I have started but never finished.
I am truly grateful that I got the opportunity to know you.
Damayanthi
.-= Damayanthi´s last blog ..YouTube Search Stories Video Creator – Free Tool =-.
Amanda Reply:
May 8th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
@Damayanthi, thanks for stopping by! Yes, finishing projects is something many people struggle with! It’s common, but good if you can limit that!
I look forward to getting to know you more and more along this journey!
You talk about the arduous training,and I can tell you, Amanda, I have been there in training for the NYC marathon.
I learned early on that I could NOT run 26 miles… nor 13… nor even 1 for that matter. But I COULD get to the next marker along the Central Park track. “Anybody”, I realized, could do that!
Once I reached that marker, I had only to repeat that SIMPLE effort in order to reach the next marker. And so on. I learned I could not focus on how far I had to run on any given day, but only on the process I was involved in AT THE MOMENT. That process involved putting one step before the next. Avoid pain. Avoid distraction so that I don’t mindlessly hyper-extend a muscle or contract in a moment of exhaustion. Just move steadily ahead. Stay WITHIN MY CAPABILITIES. Be happy to be ME, not the guy go faster or further.
Before I knew it, 5 miles, 10, 15 were gone. I didn’t realize it because I was staying within the process ONLY.
It’s often said that internet marketing is not a sprint, but a marathon. I stay focused on the process of my marketing capabilities, and not some vague goal at the end of the track. I possess the process, here and now. I can only imagine reaching the end-result. And along the way, I don’t allow myself to be distracted by those that would take me out of my stride… be that too fast or too slow. I try hard to surround myself always, with people like you Amanda, because you become a source of my growing strength, not a strain on it.
Thanks for a great post, and an ever-valuable blog.
.-= David Merrill´s last blog ..Can You Be A Successful Blogger By Following Just These 3 Steps? =-.
Amanda Reply:
May 8th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Hi @David!
What a wonderful story you have shared here! Are you currently training for the NYC Marathon or have you done it in the past?
Your system for getting to your goal is AMAZING! That’s how everyone accomplishes big things! My mantra is one foot in front of the other!
I watched a documentary on the famous Terry Fox of Canada who became a legend when he attempted to run from one side of the country to the other to raise money and awareness for cancer, which he had at the time he ran. I cry every time I watch it! It’s so incredibly inspiring. And do you know what HIS goal was? ….. the next telephone pole. Could you imagine crossing Canada one telephone pole at a time!? Unfortunately, he never quite finished his run, he had to be taken to a hospital because his cancer had gotten worse.
Motivated people such as Terry, yourself, and I can do awesome things when we accomplish one little goal after another.
I appreciate your input!!
What a great and inspirational post, Amanda! Love your blog!
.-= Dena´s last blog ..Are You Really There? =-.
That’s awesome! I just ran a measly 5k for a charity event and I was exhausted after lol. Great job!
Amanda Reply:
May 14th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
@Dena, glad to hear it!
@Robert, doing anything for charity is better than nothing! Maybe there’s a half marathon waiting for you in the future?
Amanda,
What an inspiring story, i love to Challenge myself everyday and push the limits. Keep on sharing! I think im going to go out for a run today, its beautiful outside
Chris
.-= Chris Bernardo´s last blog ..What Is You Tube Swiping? Traffic and Content FREE =-.
Amanda Reply:
May 14th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
@Chris, hope you enjoyed you run and glad you enjoyed my story!
Hi Amanda,
I have written you before and let you know how I truly enjoy your blog. I particular liked this blog post as I am gearing up for my own quest. Just as you put a training plan in place to be able to accomplish your goal, I am putting together a plan so I can be victorious as well.
Often, we say we are going to accomplish something great, but we don’t put the effort behind it in planning. Now with saying that, I realize that we can plan and plan and never get started, but a little planning goes along way in being successful…it is a balance.
Thanks for sharing your success and I look forward to reading more from you and learning a few things!!
Have a great weekend!!
Kim Isom
Amanda Reply:
May 14th, 2010 at 5:10 pm
@Kim, I’m so glad that you enjoy the messages I share here. I like your input about it being a balance of planning and effort.
Too much planning and too little action doesn’t get you anywhere, but no planning and all action is energy wasted sometimes. Thanks again for stopping by!
Hey Amanda,
I love your attitude and this post. I lost over 100 pounds running every day although I did not do any long runs. It is great to have this blog to return to to get motivated and keep going when I feel tired and weary. I am also going over to get a new running schedule! thanks for being there and thanks to those that also comment, great to be involved with.
Dave
.-= Dave´s last blog ..The law of attraction: what a sh*t day I just had! =-.
Amanda Reply:
May 27th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
@Dave, that is INCREDIBLE! You inspire me!
Congrats on your weight loss and good luck with your new running schedule!
When I was in high school I went out for track. I wasn’t a fast runner, so the track coach trained me for the 880. I am not sure if that is the right name, but I ran 2 miles.
Track practice was intense and long distances hurt me very bad. The pain was unbelievable. The coach thought I was just lazy and so did my parents.
Later in life when I was 40, I finally couldn’t hardly even walk anymore. The pain was worst than I had ever experienced.
Finally some truth came out. My mother told me that when I was 2 1/2 years, I fell out of a car traveling 55 MPH and got dragged down the paved highway. All of the pieces of the puzzle started to make sense.
I ended up in the hospital and had two surgeries. The first one lasted 17 1/2 hours, the next one was a day later and it lasted for almost 14 hours.
Nobody expected me to spring back as well as I did. However, it took me two years to recover. They fused about one half of my back, front and rear. Put in stainless steel rods to hold me together.
I did good for the first year and then the pain started to come back. It continued for another six months, until my back was fused enough and they took out the hardware. The hardware loosen up and that was causing me the pain.
I am not able to run any type of marathons as far as a physical race. However, I have learned to survive and adapt and run a different type of race now.
That is one of my pushing it to the limit stories to tell. I got many more one them to tell.
.-= Spunky Jones´s last blog ..Has Your Google Organic traffic dropped, Since its New Redesign? =-.
Wow Amanda,
What a great accomplishment. I just completed an Olympic length Tri a couple of weeks ago and totally agree with your statement,”…it’s not so much the physical limitations but the mental limitations.” This was my first Tri in 9 years and not being a good swimmer I began to doubt my ability to do the .9 mile swim. I was ready to quit before I swam 100 yards. It was only when I threw out the self-limiting and self-doubting thoughts and replaced them with the positive affirmation,”I can do this.” That I settled down, finished the swim and eventually the race. We must focus on what we can and not on what we can’t do if we want to succeed.
Enjoyed your article and video. Looking forward to more of your posts.
Ruth
.-= Ruth Narveson´s last blog ..3 Lessons Learned On The Ski Slopes On How To Face Your Fears And Succeed =-.
Thanks for the inspriration Amanda! As I was reading through other comments everyone else left, I couldn’t help but think to myself “THESE are the kind of people you want to surround yourself with”. Everyone is always so positive, delivers such great words of encouragement, and are just all around amazing people. You all rock!
That was awesome Amanda! How cool is that and it definitely inspired me to run a marathon myself.
I personally have a list of things I want to accomplish that will set me outside of my box and truly test my inner power and mindset. The first one of course was starting my very own blog and branding myself not my business. Something that I am working very hard on right now and that put me outside of my comfort zone. In addition the second thing that is really testing me now is taking a step into video marketing. As I have never enjoyed being on video, it will be a huge step outside of my comfort zone and will teach me so many things on many, many levels.
This is something that I will be pursuing the next couple of weeks to set up so will definitely keep you updated soon on how I felt, what I went through and how it turned out!
What an awesome way to test yourself and your true power within you and so excited you shared it with us! Thank you!
Jennifer May´s last [type] ..A NEW Day… A NEW Vibe- An Inspiring Note From Me To You…