This is one of my favorite shirts. Besides the fact that my best friend purchased it for me, I am considering why I am so attached to it? What is it about these phrases that make me associate with positive actions and forward momentum? Why do I read this and immediately consider signing up for the race?Pairing. Re-pairing. And re-pairing some more. For me, this shirt is paired with positive attention, tangible access, escape from boring shirts, and some form of sensory experience that makes me chose this shirt over and over again. On the flip side, it also makes me take good care of it and choose not to wear it for muddy trail runs.
Let me get nerdy and break this down, behaviorally. Before this shirt was paired with positive experiences and access to reinforcement, it was just a shirt (stimuli). Through pairing the shirt (conditioning) with positive experiences (reinforcement), the shirt is now a conditioned reinforcer… Too nerdy for you?
OK. Let’s talk about pairing without all of the analysis. I call it "re-pairing with awesome." I want you to have positive experiences with your activity choice. I will take a calculated risk and assume that you might have quit an activity based on a negative experience related to that activity. Now, what if I could re-pair your relationship with that activity so that you can change the experiences and likelihood that you’ll try the activity again? Re-pairing an activity could be a simple as new gear, a shorter distance, a better course, a smaller goal, better weather, or joining a group. You have heard me talk about this already. But, this time, think about it as RE-starting.
Consider that activity that you are avoiding or decided you don’t like. I admit that I “hated” running before I was able to pair it with awesome! That best friend who purchased this shirt for me is also the same friend who helped me re-pair my relationship with running. Imagine what you can re-pair with a little of this perspective. Get out there! Let’s RE-PAIR with AWESOME!
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