10 Mantras for When You Hit the Wall

When you’re pushing yourself to the limit, sometimes you hit the point when you want to quit. Many athletes use mantras to keep themselves going when the going gets tough.

The most effective mantras are short, positive, and personal. They are easy to remember and easy to resort to during a workout. You can keep them written on sticky notes, write them in a journal, or just say them to yourself throughout the day to remember them. We’ve put together a list of our favorite motivational mantras - repeat these to yourself when you’re in the middle of that tough hill climb or fighting to keep the pace.

1. “I can. I will.”

Easy to repeat, this mantra can break you out of a slump. Prove it to yourself.

2. “My goal is progress, not perfection.”

Nobody is perfect. We’re here to make progress, not to have the perfect workout. If something goes wrong, you can still have a productive training session.

3. “My body can do more than I think it can.”

Often our minds can talk us out of doing things that our bodies are capable of. You know your body best, can it do more than you give it credit for?

4. “Keep moving forward.”

Sometimes all it takes is putting one foot in front of the other. Take a walk break, slow down - you’re still moving in the right direction.

5. “Growth happens in times of discomfort.”

Always listen to your body for signs of injury - if you feel pain, you should stop your activity. But discomfort can be a sign you’re making progress. Stay and explore that discomfort - see what blossoms.

6. “Breathe.”

Focus on the breath to center yourself in the tough moments. Take full breaths at a steady pace to get your body the oxygen it needs.

7. “I believe in myself.”

Even if you don’t believe it at the moment, saying it can make it come true.

8. “I finish what I start.”

It’s important to keep promises to yourself. As long as it’s safe to do so, you can complete what you set out to do.

9. “I am strong.”

Both mentally and physically, you’ve achieved difficult things. You can do this difficult thing, too.

10. “I have prepared for this.”

You’ve put in the work and trained for tough moments. You’ve made it through all the tough times in your life up to now. You can make it through this one, too.

Do you have a different mantra that keeps you going on tough training days? Head to our social media pages and let us know!