Today on the podcast:
Brenda Dennehy is a radio producer, journalist, and general fitness lover.
She gave up smoking a year and half ago and recently completed her first ever marathon.
In today’s podcast we unpack how to stay motivated when it comes to training for any physical goal like a marathon and the mindset or tools needed to give up smoking (or kick any bad habit) for good.
Episode Outline
03:12 2019 when she were a 30 a day smoker and couldn’t run 2km to now
08:28 What she did to finally give up smoking after more than 10 years!
13:17 How to quit smoking cold turkey
15:12 How she got over her fear of the gym and working out
18:40 Her couch to 5km to a full marathon story
25:33 Making promises to yourself and surrounding yourself with supportive people
28:21 Why running isn’t just about fitness, it’s about finding yourself and building confidence
32:53 Brenda’s favorite personal development books
35:05 How the law of attraction and the power of positive thinking changed her mindset
36:51 How anybody can get motivated if the write down their goal and surround themselves with the right people
39:38 Why you need to stop insulting yourself and build inner confidence
Key Points
If you’re looking to give up an unhealthy habit such as smoking or poor eating, oftentimes the best thing to do is put everything on the line. That involves announcing your goal to others so that you have someone to be accountable to. Brenda announced her intention to quit smoking to over 70,000 people over the radio. Another tip is to just pick a date to quit your bad habit cold turkey. That tends to be easier than slowly easing off the habit.
Whenever you set a big goal for yourself, be prepared to block out the noise, even if that noise is your own friends and family telling you why you can’t accomplish your goal. Don’t let their negativity be the reason you give up your dreams. Surround yourself with optimists, achievers, and supported people instead of naysayers if you want to maintain your motivation and willpower as you strive for your goal.
Stop being so hard on yourself. You’ll never get off the ground if you’re constantly insulting yourself. Do take note that we’re often our harshest critics and we have more power than we think within us to make an impact on ourselves and others. If you have even the smallest inkling of an urge to try something new or make a difference, jump on that urge. Turn a wish into a will.
Powerful Quotes by Brenda
- I told everyone [that I would quit smoking]. I even said it to 70,000-to-80,000 people on the radio. Everyone that I met, I had to tell them, because telling them meant I couldn’t back out of it. How could I let them down?
- Never underestimate the power of a written plan. The pen is mightier than the sword.
- Does trauma ever go away? I don’t think it does. But I think that the impact of it does.
- Turn a wish into will. Everyone is capable and able. There’s no such thing as a hopeless case.
Brenda Dennehy
Radio producer, journalist, and general fitness lover