I was thinking about realization moments from recent years, where all the effort felt like it had truly paid off, reading the
@MrKleen73 thread with him discussing not being motivated to really dig in at the moment:
I remember when I totaled 1,603, how sweet that drive thru Hardee’s burger was with my wife on the way home after all the months training in our living room during lockdown for it. I remember standing there with my wife & 1st place medal on when I came back from a back rehab to total 1,609 - just 5.5 more lbs., but how much they meant. I remember driving in the sun talking to my dad after I competed at 220 just 8 weeks after I had torn my adductor, setting several PRs for myself after barely squatting a few weeks prior. I remember forcing down my last breakfast the morning of the meet I totaled 1,653 - telling my wife this is it, the last meal I have to eat to do this thing. I remember hugging my friends after benching 405, shouting how I trained for 15 years to realize that goal, but I made it. I was practically in tears - Rocket always believed in me, and he wanted to see me succeed. I couldn’t fail.
Oh, they were sweet, sweet moments - because I earned every single one. I paid for them with my sweat, & my time, & even my blood at different points. They took so much effort; it’s what they gave me, the person I had to become along the way, that made me so happy with myself & that investment.