Name The Most Demotivational Thing You Have Ever Heard...

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"You came out of nowhere, I never even saw you" - Lady driving the truck that hit me.

Not necessarily demotivational, more demoralizing. One of the threads floating around now with some guy complaining about people not working hard enough at the gym and another guy complaining about lazy ladies at an aqua aerobics class with a fat instructor.

Some people have such a narrow view of the world.
I think anyone making an effort to be fitter deserves my respect.

X2

Mike

Years ago, before I started triathlons I was a newbie cyclist.

I was at the end of a 40 mile ride. I had managed to keep up with my riding buddies despite their years more experience. I felt pretty much on top of the world when I passed them on a long steady hill climb. Ha ha! Newbie's in front! I was feeling pretty good about myself.

I spotted a guy ahead of me on the hill and put him in my sights. I climbed and climbed, and slowly closed the gap. I drew alongside and saw he was a guy about my age, about my weight, on about the same kind of equipment. Just like me, in other words. I said "Hi, how's your ride today?" We chatted a bit, with him very casual and me trying to hide my 180 bph heart rate. After a minute or so of chatting, he said "Well, time to climb, have a nice day!"

He stood up and blasted away like I was standing still. We were going about 6mph, and he easily topped 12 on the same hill. He was effortlessly doubling our speed, I was doing my absolute best to keep up at 6. He sailed up the hill and over the crest out of sight.

Very demotivating / demoralizing to realize exactly how much stronger someone "just like me" could be.

I have since gotten over it.

Edited by brucemorgan 2010-01-20 5:42 PM

Everything that people say to me, whether positive or negative, motivates me to go further (farther?) and faster. 

Today a well meaning person asked, "You hurt yourself running in a marathon?  You are too old.  [I am 40] You shouldn't run.  It's bad for you."  I replied, "Well, I have already committed to my next one."  I also showed her a picture of me at my heaviest, with my belly sticking out at least 5" more than now.  She said, "Well, you could watch what you eat."  I laughed, "Well that ain't gonna happen."

It's the voices in my own head that are the most dangerous de-motivators.

Well said Mike!

"You're too lumpy" - wife

Second year of undergrad.  Was an Economics major.  Mid term in advanced Macro.  Blue book came back with "Perhaps you should consider a different field of study" written on it.  Just that.  Not even an "F" or anything. 

I immediately dropped like 3 classes and became English major. 

Ha, something similar happened to my husband.. only repace "Econ" and "English" with "Mechanical Engineering" and "Government"

After every race I've ever run, I've come into my third grade classroom excited the next day to tell my students all about it. After telling them about the experience, and having them ask a a bunch of questions, one boy always raises his hand and asks, "Did you win?" I of course then explain how I run because I love it and do it because it makes me feel fantastic. I also talk about sportsmanship, discipline, self-esteem, the racing atmosphere, etc... This past November after a half marathon, his friend then raises his hand and asks, "Well, did you at least come in second?"

High school football position coach (running back) describing me to head coach:

He's not big, but he's slow.

I would consider that a success story, if you ended up loving your new major.

Beautiful story -- I'm going to share with my daugther's preschool teacher, she does the same thing.

I love this one.

"Mama we've been waiting FOREVER for you, can we go home now?"

Right after crossing the finish line just about every time.



"Can that be right?"

A lovely gem from my husband when I got some hardware and they called my name.


Edited by KeriKadi 2010-01-20 7:22 PM

I was home after my first year of college and a little chunkier.  I was trying to run off the weight and after I got home from a run about three weeks into the summer, my wonderful but overweight mom walks up to me, taps my pooch and says:

"With all that running, you still can get rid of that, huh?" 

(insert steam blowing out of ears here...)

I was having lunch with some people I work with, two of which do an occasional tri.  One of them asked me what shoes I use and I was explaining my Zoots and the girl made a snide remark to the tune of "Why do you care, its not like you are going to go to the olympics"  I let the comment slide, but found it quite hypocritical since I had helped her review a speech she was giving at our toastmasters group that discussed her passion for ice skating, and through middle and high school her dream was to compete in the Olympics.  It was a bit rude of me to think to myself "Yeah, how did ice skating work out for you?"

I often think about that comment and use it as motivation to push harder, or become more efficient in transitions etc.  I do tris for fun, and am a bit of a geek so I like some of the gadgets.  I do not see triathlons in the Olympics in my future, but with some focus and dedication, and a bit of luck, an AG finish in my second year is possible. Who knows from there.   

I was on the track team in high school, but I did it just for fun, mostly as a way to stay active after the basketball season. In other words, I sucked. Sometimes I ran the 200, but usually I did long jump and triple jump. One day the coach pulled me aside before a meet and said, "Fielding, you're running the 800 today." I explained to him that I'd never run an 800 before, had no idea what the race strategy was, and surely he couldn't want me to run it. He told me to stop arguing and get on the bus.

So basically, I was almost lapped on the 800. I had at least 200 meters left by the time everyone else was finished. (Obviously I'd gone out too hard.) I was so far behind that coaches from the opposing teams were chearing for me. They kept saying things like "Don't quit now!" and "You're almost there!" and "You can do it!" And I'm yelling in my head, "It's a f-ing 800, of course I can f-ing finish it!"

I know they meant well, but that was definitely the most "demotivational" thing I've heard at a race. (Of course, now I think it's hilarious, and a friend of mine always yells that at me when I near the end of a race.)

When I first told my parents that I wanted to do triathlon my Dad said "What? are you crazy?!?!"

I was having lunch with some people I work with, two of which do an occasional tri.  One of them asked me what shoes I use and I was explaining my Zoots and the girl made a snide remark to the tune of "Why do you care, its not like you are going to go to the olympics"  I let the comment slide, but found it quite hypocritical since I had helped her review a speech she was giving at our toastmasters group that discussed her passion for ice skating, and through middle and high school her dream was to compete in the Olympics.  It was a bit rude of me to think to myself "Yeah, how did ice skating work out for you?"

I often think about that comment and use it as motivation to push harder, or become more efficient in transitions etc.  I do tris for fun, and am a bit of a geek so I like some of the gadgets.  I do not see triathlons in the Olympics in my future, but with some focus and dedication, and a bit of luck, an AG finish in my second year is possible. Who knows from there.   

Before  my second race back after a 2 year layoff with heart failure I chatted with some guys I had known from before I got sick that I used to beat fairly easily. Shortly after T1, going at my new 'sick guy' speed, one of them passed me going much faster than I. As he did, he turned to me and said "having a bad day, eh?" That just made me feel sick since I was giving it my all. Made me feel like I didn't belong at races anymore, particularly as I get slower every year because of my health.

I now really work at encouraging the people I pass (a truly small number) since I know they are very slow and probably feel a little embarrassed or humiliated  and wonder if they belong there too. 

  

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There are some serious classics in this thread!