If you're reading this red-eyed and fuzzy-minded, maybe you're like me and you've been staying up way too late each night glued to the Olympic coverage on TV. From swimming to volleyball to athletics to gymnastics, I've been watching all the sports I can each night.
 
It may be because I played three competitive sports as a kid and teen. It may be because I'm a fitness professional who's fascinated by what a well-trained body can accomplish. It may be because I simply want to cheer on my country. Whatever it is, we all have our own reasons for tuning in.
 
I stayed up late last week, all weekend long, and even last night, dazzled by what I saw. And when it came time to rise out of bed the next morning to work out, I noticed my approach was different than usual. This led me to wonder: Do the Olympics inspire you to exercise?
 
After watching swimming and running last week, I thought about all the training that went into these races for every Olympian: Hours a day for years on end got them all to that very moment. They had to push when they didn't want to. They had to tailor their diet and food choices to help them reach their goals. They had to exert willpower that was stronger than their excuses or doubts. Sure, for many Olympic athletes, training is the job, not the afterthought (the way it is for many of us). But they're not that different from us either. They set goals. They work hard to reach them. They have setbacks. They have good days and bad. And sometimes, they fail. But one thing that probably sets them apart (aside from killer genetics) is their consistency and their unyielding desire to do whatever it takes to reach their goal. And their unwillingness to let one mistake or failure keep them down.
 
Watching the Olympics has inspired me to work harder on myself. If they can train for 4-8 hours a day, surely I can manage the 1-2 hours needed to keep me at my optimal level of fitness, strength and balance. If they can give it their all, I can give my workouts my best effort, too, rather than just getting through them. Imagine the results we would all achieve if we treated exercise a little more like our jobs and a little less like something we couldn't wait to be over. Better yet, imagine how much fitter, stronger, faster and lighter you would be if you gave each workout your full attention and maximum effort. We may not be training for the Olympics, but we are training for LIFE, and that is no less important.
 
When I woke up on Saturday morning, I pulled on my workout clothes, slipped on my running shoes, and ran my fastest 3 miles (to yoga class) that I've run in a long time. I thought about the inspiring Olympians who push it to their limits in every session and who break records and figured: Why not? Why jog when I can fly? And when Sunday (which is my long distance running day) came, I didn't do my usual workout procrastination, during which I wait all day long and keep putting off my long run. Instead, I set out first thing in the morning for my 11-mile training run. It was speedy and almost effortless—because I made up my mind that it would be. If I felt tired, I imagined myself as a world-class athlete who pushes through tiredness day in and day out, which helped me kick into another gear and continue running strong.
 
The truth is that we are all capable of great things—in our own ways. We can all reach personal goals and milestones. The key is to believe it's possible; to set your focus on the goal; and to be consistent and driven in your efforts. We might not measure up against the greatest athletes in the world. But we can all be our absolute best selves and set our own records. So why not choose to be great?
 
Have you been inspired by the Olympics? Has watching the Games affected your workouts, decreased your excuses, or motivated you to push harder?

Follow @thecoachnicole