Life is full of struggles. Sometimes, we simply want to shy away from them. But even when our minds are constantly telling us that we should call it a day, we can still keep on going. The solution is the Cookie Jar.
The Cookie Jar method was created by one of the toughest men alive, David Goggins. Goggins is a retired Navy SEAL, who has competed in more than sixty ultra-marathons triathlon.
To raise money for a non-profit organization for orphans, Goggins vowed to run Badwater 135. Badwater is the world's hardest foot race. To qualify for Badwater, one has to run 100 miles in 3 days, that is, 4 marathons in one go. With zero preparation and training, Goggins decided to have a try.
For the first few miles of the race, he felt fine and had no trouble running. But at mile 50, his legs felt like they were loaded with lead. Still he ran. Then at mile 70, he couldn't take another step forward. Exhausted and feeling beaten down, he sat down to rest. He kept on asking himself, "Why? Why are you still doing this to yourself? " He then remembered this wasn't the first time he'd taken on an impossible task. And he suddenly felt some energy build up. He started walking slowly, step by step. He kept on digging in his past while remembering all his previous victories, making him get the energy he needed to keep on going. His feet were still a bloody mess, full of blisters. But it gave him just enough drive to sustain him, until the 100-mile mark. And that's what the Cookie Jar is.
We all have a cookie jar inside us. Whenever you face a challenge, whenever you want to give up, you open the cookie jar and pick a cookie. The cookie reminds you of something you've overcome and how far you've come. Eventually, you'll slowly build up your mind to be more mentally tough. Impossible, will turn into, I can do this.
