Unleashing My Inner Mongrel

It’s Inner Mongrel Monday for me! Tapping into that tenacious, determined part of me that needs to come forth more.

I distinctly remember the first time I decided to call forth my Inner Mongrel as a conscious thing – it was in my second round of 12WBT. A mindset lesson from Mish talking about “Your Inner Mongrel” really resonated. I knew I had it in me and it had come forth before… as my partner David had clearly noticed apparently! However after that mindset lesson I decided to call her forth. I was uncertain as calling yourself a ‘mongrel’ had some negative connotations in my brain but Mish’s spin on it had me thinking and it fired me up! I let my inner mongrel off the chain deliberately to see what would happen!

I watched a news story on the admirable Stephanie Rice, Olympic swimmer, who’s off to London for the 2012 Olympics. The reporter recited an old quote. Something along the lines of the difference between ‘good’ and ‘great’ is MONGREL. Aha! That reminded me of the times when I have dug deep and used my inner mongrel to get things done, to reach goals.

I have done it before. ~~I can do it again. I will do it again.~~

I AM DOING IT AGAIN.

Last week I myself as described having “tenacity out the wahooo”. I was so pleased with myself for the persistence and determination I have shown for the last fortnight in the face of challenges and substantial ‘game changing’ news. Lots of plans out the window and new plans made. Lots of uncertainty and fear.

This news, especially in the context of things being a bit tough at the moment anyway, would have brought me to me knees previously… a year or so ago.

I have learnt to stand. I stood firm and steady.

I had three things in particular I wanted to nail last week: One was doing what I need to do daily for my sore hip & getting progress. Another was getting a certain task for my PhD finished that had eluded me (gotta love research!) for some time. The third was nailing each training session doing the best I could do while not screwing up the good work I’d done on my hip. Friday I conquered the PhD issue, all week I was mostly pain free, no pain killers and able to get on & off the toilet without using the wall! I had awesome PT sessions and a sensational Soooper Saturday Session to cap it off!

I nailed all three because I was tenacious. I was a mongrel. I was bloody minded, single-minded in fact when it was time to pay attention to each of those tasks. I didn’t actual call forth my inner mongrel but she came out at the right time.

This week, I have decided to take the leash and control her a little more – bring my inner mongrel out more often and to a greater degree. My aim is at the end of this week to be able to say “Yeah baby!! I was a MONGREL!” and to say that with a huge grin as I sit back and reflect on all that I achieved towards each of my goals and priorities.

It’s not an insult, being called a mongrel in this context, it’s a positive thing – tenacity, determination, persistence.