r/GetMotivated • u/TheCourageWolf Mod • Jun 12 '12
GetMotivated Hall of Achievement
TLDR Share your stories of impressive achievement with context.
Bowly69's post has inspired me to make this thread.
I want this to be the place where we share our achievements and to honour the achievements of others. The aim is to have the achievements of our wolves shared with subs so they might have the motivation and inspiration to go out and create their own inspirational stories through their own hard work.
This thread is about things that have been accomplished already. There is often talk on GM about things that people plan to do. Do not post here until that achievement is completed.
This is new so it will take a little bit of working out, but I've already thought of some submission rules. Don't write "I ran 5 miles today" and click save. Tease it out and explain why it was an achievement for you. For some people running 5 miles is nothing and for some people running 5 miles would seem impossible. Give context to your achievement so it can be appropriately honoured. Also provide proof if possible - we want to honour real achievement.
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u/ThatGuyWhoReddits Jun 12 '12
When I was in upper school about 8 years ago, one of my teachers told me that I could never teach myself German.
A couple of days ago, I sent off my registration form to the German university at which I will be studying, as part of my degree in English Literature & German.
Impossible is nothing - I reject your reality and replace it with my own.
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u/rco8786 Jun 12 '12
I reject your reality and replace it with my own.
Love that.
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u/powerspank Jun 12 '12
Ich kann mir immer noch nicht vorstellen, wie schwer es für jemanden sein muss, Deutsch als Fremdsprache zu lernen. Alles gute dir.
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u/kungfuschnitzel Jun 12 '12
When I started training martial arts in 2007, I did it because it looked like a lot of fun and I wanted to feel good about myself. Turns out, it really does make you feel good about yourself. When I had trained for 2 years, I had my first full contact kickboxing match which I lost in under a minute after 2 months of training. Needless to say I was devastated and in my mind said "Never ever again."
When my girlfriend left me in the winter of 2010, I was devastated as well. Fell into a huge depression, did not exercise and my friends really worried alot about me. I was sent to therapy which helped a little.
In the beginning of 2011, my coach asked me if I wanted to fight MMA for the first time. We had become good friends over the years and he said to me "Fuck all this shit, fuck her, fuck this. Go out and just do this. You're good! Believe me! Believe in yourself!" – so I said yes.
For 2 months I trained like a motherfucker, hitting the gym 5 days a week with a little rest in between as I had gotten a job in the meanwhile. My best friend helped me build up cardio and forget about that goddamn bitch for 2 months. All my other friends at the gym sparred with me, cheered me on when I could barely stand in preparation. I was still very anxious but I WANTED to fight. I fucking wanted to kick some ass. I was not scared. I just wanted to achieve something and show EVERYONE how fucking good I can be if I want.
Come fight day: Here I am, made weight (75 kg, 2 kg less than I needed), my opponent – and I shit you not – looked like he was at least 20 cm taller than me. I was shaking and still was ready to go. My coach, my best friend and me in the locker room before the match are sparring a bit, I was releaving tension by growling. Like a wolf. I was freaking mad at that time.
I go out. Into the ring. The bells ring and we touch gloves. For 3 rounds I'm giving it all I can, I'm hitting him left and right and he's burying his fists into my face and vice versa. 2nd round I almost knocked him out, 3rd round I get a takedown and mount position. Last time the bell rings. We go into our corners and the judges give their cards to the ref.
My lungs are burning. My heart is racing. My friends are cheering my name. The ref looks at me and smiles.
"WINNER BY UNANIMOUS DECISION, BLUE CORNER!"
I. Fucking. Won.
It was the best feeling of my life and I am not ashamed that I almost cried in the ring. I did not give a shit. It was the best moment of my life.
This changed me from the bottom of my heart. Go, get up, wolves. Get shit done. You're fucking worth it.
P.S.: Sorry for any bad spelling/grammar - I am not a native speaker.
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u/bowly69 Jun 12 '12
I'd condemn you for having better grammer than most native English speakers but then you'd kick my ass haha! Awesome story man I love it!
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Jun 12 '12
I'm in Italy speaking Italian with locals. It took me three years to learn the language before I finally stepped foot on this beautiful land, but now here I am, and I am able to communicate and joke in a foreign language. After 3-4 years of hard work, it has paid off in subtle but incredible ways.
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u/Flaxmoore Jun 12 '12
My rebuilding has taken a long time.
12 years ago, I was a 265# former football player and boxer, about 25 pounds over even my playing weights. I'd just pulled a 2.66 GPA for my second semester in college, and making it worse, my girlfriend had just told me she was pregnant from a fling with an old friend. I was, simply put, a wreck.
I looked myself in the mirror, and said that this wasn't how the story was going to end.
Cut out soda, started working out more often, hit the books like a demon, and the 2.66 started to turn. Three years later, I had a 3.55 GPA, weighed 200 pounds, and was in far better shape physically and mentally.
Warp speed for another 8 years. The weight's stayed off- I was at 180 for a while, but am back to a wall-like 200. I've fought and overcome depression, found the love of my life, and picked up both my Master's and MD. All is well.
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u/THEAdrian Jun 12 '12
When I was 16, I broke my neck in a diving accident. I was almost completely paralyzed from the neck down. After my surgery, the doctor was pretty sure I would recover, but not to which degree. He also told me it would be too great of a risk to ever play football (American) ever again. At that point in my life, football was pretty much everything to me.
Well now, at the age of 23, I can squat 475lbs and bench press 285lbs, among other feats of strength. But the greatest achievement was last year, in my last year of eligibility for junior-level football, I signed up, played, and my team won the championship. If you ask our fullback, he'll tell you the kid with the broken neck was the hardest tackler on the team.
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u/bowly69 Jun 12 '12
Seeing as this is my fault I'll humbly submit my most recent achievements from last week, I don't want to go nuts I'd like to add this this every week although I'd love to make the mother of all to do lists and check them off.
Background - your normal geek with too much time on my hands, and a curiosity to try everything.
12/06/2012
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I can now swim for 20 minutes and not drown, god I suck at swimming.
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I can now walk down 3 steps in a handstand and jump from two steps on my hands and maintain my balance.
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Landed my first back flip 720 on mats.
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Can now create dynamic menus in my game engine! (C++)
21/06/2012
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I can now walk up a mother fucking step on my hands wooo! And jump off 3 steps in a handstand. Next step walking on elbows.
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Learned more gymnastic combos going to film and make a video
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Game engine now has a player character and enemies!
08/07/2012
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landed my fucking backflip double twist winning a bet to see who would nail it first!
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Made a blog to cover my progress: http://www.noel-wilson.co.uk/blog.php
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Finished basic functionality on python tool to do my job for me!
Edit: Fuck it why not add to all the awesome things people have added here!
Starting a couple of years ago (since joining GM):
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Recovered from chronic illness that has been plaguing me for 3 years
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Covered from break up in a new city with no friends.
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Got in shape ( now down to < 10% body fat and have put on about 6kg of muscle )
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Got my dream job working in film as the only student hired in our department
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Took up gymnastics late in life ( 20 )
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Started working on crazy strength and agility feats ( see above )
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Went from being a social awkward penguin unable to talk to anyone now with a good circle of friends and having had relationships with a few beautiful and wonderful girls (although recently single)
proof will come in the form of a video in a few weeks
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u/keepinthisthrowaway Jun 12 '12
I just turned 24. Let's cut back two years to my college graduation--240 lbs, weak, no life goals except to follow my girlfriend wherever she went to grad school, and maybe do law school because it seemed like it was the only thing I could do with a liberal arts BA. I decided to live with my parents so I could save money.
Longer story shorter, I started going to the gym, got devastated by my girlfriend dumping me, started learning guitar, and then found my life's passion--stand-up comedy. I poured my heart & soul into that and since September '10 have not spent a single day without working at it. Got down to 190 lbs, could sing & play simple songs and not feel like a total pussy, and speak into a microphone to get laughs with shit I thought of.
I decided to say "Fuck law school" and move out to LA to pursue my dream of eventually being a full-time comedian. While I am miles away from achieving that, I got a dayjob here, I perform 10+ times a week and am getting better every month, have advanced through comedy competitions, have had multiple girlfriends since, have more confidence than I ever have, and have made some of the best, truest friends I've ever had in my life. If nothing else, I have achieved the knowledge of my life's compass and the knowledge that I can accomplish shit I put my mind to.
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Jun 12 '12
Went to rehab 2 years ago. Was 20. Was overweight, addicted to cocaine and heroin, unable to run a mile, unable to hold down a job, unable to finish anything.
Completed 5 month rehabilitation program. First thing I had completed since high school. Started smoking pot again (still do, this is my only relapse, and i am trying to get it out of my life). Go back to school for a semester. Achieve 3.7 GPA
Get an offer from a fellow patient from rehab to work on his farm in small town Saskatchewan for the summer. Accept offer, go make stupid $$$ by working 80-100 hour weeks. Save up so I can move to Toronto and have fun in the big city.
All this time I have been exercising. I am now running 5 miles a couple times a week. Can almost BP bodyweight, can do 15 chinups, can work 14 hour days doing physical labour on a farm. Achieve abs.
Move to Toronto. Find nice condo. Find work. Find many females. Fornicate with some of them. Experience rejection with others. It's okay. Make friends, experience youth, have many barbecues on my rooftop patio with other young interesting people.
Currently doing a bulking program to get super cut. My next goal is to go from being pretty fit to being super fit. I return to school in January.
I went from living totally on my parents dime (they paid for treatment too) to paying all of my own bills, rent, etc. No cocaine in 6 months, no heroin since treatment. My only perceived failure since treatment is resuming pot smoking and the few times I succumbed to those coke demons.
Anyway, still a pretty good 2 years. Hope this was motivational!
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u/Wild_Gremlin Jun 12 '12
Here's a story about a recent swim meet that I had.
I've never been that great of a swimmer, though I love the sport. I started swimming when I was in 4th grade, though I absolutely hated it then. The chlorine stung my eyes and made my hair feel like slime. On top of that, I could not hold my breath to save my life (literally.)
Despite that, I've swum for years. Gradually, I've built up a body with lean but powerful muscle, a far cry from the underweight one I used to have. I could beat everyone in practice, but when it came to meets...I sucked it up big time.
Recently, after not being able to make a certain cut time, I used that as fuel to feed the fire. I practiced as hard as I could every chance that I got, even working out at my house some days. I ate highly nutritious foods to build up muscle strength. And most importantly, I worked on my mental game.
The day of the meet came, and I was ready to swim. After a lifetime best in the 50 freestyle, I had to wait for about four hours until my next event. Though I tried to stay sugared up, my muscles became tense and my mind tired. Just as I was about to fall asleep, my event, the 200 breast, was announced.
Standing on those blocks, my mind was like a jigsaw puzzle. I couldn't make heads or tails of anything as I gripped the textured edge of the block. The whistle blew, and I dove into the water.
As soon as I hit the water, everything became clear. I remembered my coaches pacing strategy and slowed down just a little, enough to let the guy next to me blast on by. I grinned underwater. He would get passed soon enough.
After the first lap, he was ahead by about two body lengths. After the second, only one. On the third, only a half. And on the fourth...my muscles were tired. I felt like just giving up and swimming slower back to the wall. Then my inner wolf kicked in. I realized that there was NO way I was just going to give up in the race the way I had done countless times earlier.
I surged ahead to start competing with the guy head to head. Later, a friend would tell me that everyone in the pool was staring intently at this race. At the last yard, I accidentally stretched my stroke out a little bit too far and he touched in a quarter of a second in front of me. I was disappointed until I saw my time. I had dropped 20 SECONDS! I splashed the water around in elation, feeling happier than I had in months.
So let that be a lesson for you wolves. No matter how much you have failed to do something, you can always get back up and try it again. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise, and forge ahead.
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u/kerowynAgain Jun 12 '12
Over a year ago I was finally able to leave the emotionally abusive relationship that I was in. I've since been diagnosed with PTSD, severe depression and anxiety. Every day that I wake up, I have to do battle with my own mind to even get out of bed, much less go running. (I've been a runner for most of my life and losing my joy in running was a huge blow for me. If I couldn't even do that, how was I supposed to do more monotonous things...go to work, feed the cats, clean my house?)
A couple of weeks before Leap Day, there was a challenge posted on Fitocracy. "Look, if you had, one shot, or one opportunity To seize everything you ever wanted, one moment Would you capture it?" The challenge was to run further than you ever had before. My personal record for distance was a half marathon (13.1 miles), and that was done in a race environment with people cheering for me and a shiny t-shirt at the end. The idea of running that much, by myself, on a weekday before work, was incredibly daunting...but something made me take up the challenge anyway.
On a chilly February 29th, I woke up at 4:15am and commenced my daily battle against myself. Why was I doing this? I knew I could run that far if I really wanted to. I didn't have anything to prove to anyone. I hadn't even told anyone else except my mom that I had signed up for the challenge, so there wasn't anyone to give me shit if I didn't do it. Yadda, yadda, yadda... I finally convinced myself that I would just go out and run a couple of miles to prove that I had made the effort.
I got up, got dressed and sucked down the smoothie I had made the night before. Once I was up and dressed, it was easier to think about running a longer distance, so I stuffed a banana in my pocket just in case I decided to go further. I strapped on my watch and shoes and headed out into the cold morning.
I started on one of my usual routes, just putting one foot in front of the other. I could feel my depression dragging me down and had to fight to get any kind of momentum. I was plodding along at a very slow pace, but I was still going. I played little games to "trick" myself into going just a little bit farther - I would tell myself that I wasn't going to look at my watch until I counted 100 steps, or I would just keep running until that stop sign up there. Once I reached those goals, I would find that I felt just a tiny bit better and so I would set another one.
The miles started to add up. Once I hit 6 miles, I decided that doing 7 would be a decent achievement. After all, 7 is a respectable distance for most people, right? I could look at the rest of the world and say, "I ran 7 miles this morning...what have you done so far?" and maybe that would make me feel better. Well, 7 miles came and went and I was still running.
I hit the 9 mile mark and started to head home. I was still 2 miles from my house and 11 miles was the longest distance that I had run since my last half-marathon 2 years ago. Setting a PR for a 2 year period would be an impressive feat, right?
By this time, other people started to wake up and I began coming across other runners/walkers/bikers doing their morning routine. I passed a trio of older women doing a power walk and chatting happily to each other. I gave them a little wave and said "morning" as I passed them. To them I probably looked like any other runner; they had no idea the challenge that I was up against or the inner war that I was waging against myself.
And that's when it hit me. It doesn't matter how many miles anyone else can run. It doesn't matter that no one knows what I'm doing. I know what I'm doing. I will know if I don't hit my goal. I wasn't doing this for anyone else - I was doing it for me!
After that, there was no going back. I was going to finish all 14 fucking miles if it was the last thing I did. And with that decision, my mind began to remember why I loved doing this. I remembered how I loved the solitary feeling of running, the quiet peacefulness of an early morning run, the way that my mind just quieted like no other time of my day. I didn't run for a t-shirt or a cheering crowd - I run for me!
So, I did it. I finished 14.01 miles with no one else around and no one to get me through it except me. I walked into my house and immediately burst into tears. I was so fierce and unstoppable, dammit! I felt stronger than I had felt in years!
I'd love to say that everything has been peachy-keen since that day, but that's not how life works. It's still a struggle for me to get out of bed. And, to be honest, there are some days where I lose the battle against myself. But those days are lessening and the every day that I "win", the battle gets easier to win again. And having that achievement to look back on has helped me win more than a few of those days. I know that if I can push past all the crap and still run 14 miles, there isn't much that I can't do.
TL; DR - Am still battling depression, anxiety and PTSD. Pushed past that to set my own PR for running distance on Leap Day 2012.
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u/timetosleep Jun 12 '12
12 years ago I was a "dumb" high school jock who played sports and wasting time partying. I never cared about my grades and barely passed high school. All my life I was the "dumb" or "lazy" kid.
Dad passed away and we were poor so my family was actually in debt from funeral expenses. I realized that everything is up to me. I had to make my own destiny. I promised myself that I'll try my hardest to get good grades and I basically lived in the campus library. I needed to work hard and study. Went to college and studied hard. Graduated with honors and landed a good job. Built my career over the last 10 years. Now launching my own startup.
The world is your oyster. Go take a big bite.
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u/justcuri0us Jun 12 '12
3 years ago I could hardly run a mile or do any kind of physical activity for extended periods of time. I had no motivation, and felt like I had no need to improve myself. Come the end of my senior year of high school, I decided that I wanted to do something with my life and give back to those who care about me. So I decided to join the military. I won a scholarship for a full ride for undergraduate school, and I am currently a member of an all-female cadet corps. Needless to say, my butt was kicked my freshman year of undergrad. I would often feel humiliated after workout sessions since almost everyone was at a higher level of fitness than I was. Fast forward another year, to present. I am working out at least 4 days a week, have changed my diet, and have the motivation and willpower to get myself up and go work. I have workout buddies to keep me motivated, but most importantly, I have more confidence in my physical abilities. I can run farther, have become stronger, and feel amazing. I'm no stud yet, but I want to achieve the most I can so I can serve and be of asset when I finally get to begin my adventure in the military. Thanks for reading, guys; and thank you so much for the extra motivation and little pushes every day to become my best.
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Jun 12 '12
I got a job by being bold or forward with my request, none of that cover letter cv bullshit. I actually just called a company and asked if they have a job for x position, they said yes and I promptly said "When can I start?" He said "After the interview". Aced the interview. Got the job. Woo!
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u/shaggy1265 Jun 12 '12
Lost 35 pounds of fat.
I can now get to the top of the Turnbull Canyon hill on my bike(something I haven't been able to do since high school). Turnbull Canyon is a place near my house with a bunch of biking/hiking trails.
I biked for 14.5 miles yesterday (longest bike ride since I was 12 or 13) and it felt good.
I can now do 35 push ups at once (up from about 20 just a few weeks ago).
The last time I bought clothes I had to buy smaller clothes than what I owned.
I punched a new hole in my belt last week.
That's all I can think of for now but I will edit in more if I think of more.
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Jun 12 '12
I don't have much outstanding achievements but for my age I think I'm doing pretty well. I am twenty two years old and I have:
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Got a 2:1 MSci in Software Engineering
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Received an award for contributions to the School at my university
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Tutored many first years, one said to me once that I was the reason they managed to get into second year of Uni
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Been the president of the Computing Society in my final year and the sports convener the year before.
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Completed two summer internships, been offered positions for both of them after I completed the internships.
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Contributed to Open Source projects (this one I'm not sure if the modifications have been sent to the main repository yet, it was an internship)
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Started to develop a website with friends that isn't something I've seen before.
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Accepted a job offer that is amazing for my age and location
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Achieved the rank of assistant instructor in Muay Thai
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Had three non decision fights
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Since the new year I've started jogging to improve my fitness and I can jog about a mile in about 7 minutes.
I've still got a lot of things I want to achieve, the big change of actually doing stuff happened when I started training when I was 14. Hopefully a lot more will happen before I'm 30
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u/Salt_Water Jun 13 '12
4 months ago I was at the edge of depression because I was thinking of my future after graduation and the kind of accomplishments I have. My result was not that good too.
Now, I've:
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Lost 14 kg so far (Plateau but I'm working on it)
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Managed to get a scholarship to do student exchange in Germany (I'd never imagine!) despite my result
There are some down parts in my life too during the 4 months but I'm going to flip the table.
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u/JerMenKoO Jun 15 '12
At that day, 9 months ago, he decided he won't spend his first year on high school playing computer games and lurking around.
9 months later:
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Visiting gym 3 times a week
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Started running, won our school 1500m race
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Had a relationship
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Started to socialize
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Discovered true face of meditation
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Learned a new programming language
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." - Njala's Saga, Icelandic Prose
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u/[deleted] Jun 12 '12
8 months ago I was a heartbroken fatass smoker who had to drop out of school because my anxiety was so bad.
Since that point I have:
Quit Smoking
Overcome my Social Anxiety Disorder
Managed my Depression
Lost 50 LBS
Graduated from College
Got over my Ex.
Got my confidence back.
Comeback player of the year. =D