Months of trying to go full speed will wear a person down, and it doesn't matter how well you're conditioned--at some point you succumb to fatigue.
Not physical fatigue, but mental fatigue. You start wondering why you are doing what you are doing, what difference it makes, and who cares. You question the validity of even dreaming you can reach your goals and worse, your goals become blurry and ill-defined.
These are the dark hours, when action is a chore and hope merely a shadow in the past. The road looms steep and never-ending before you. Simply stopping looks like the most pleasant invitation.
How do you continue? What pushes you forward?
When you are rested, the drive within you keeps you going. The fire blazes of its own accord. You can tell yourself that each step, no matter how difficult and painful, is bringing you one step closer to your goal. But when your soul aches for a rest and the motivational engine inside of you begins to sputter, do not be afraid to detour.
You are strong, and your progress shows it, but it is not a weakness to slow down to take care of yourself. Give it all you've got and then some, and when that gets you just short of where you're trying to go, look around you and refuel. Read a book. Watch a movie. Listen to music. Stand in the sunshine or in the pouring rain. Pick up a new skill. Talk to a friend. Let the universe rush into you and restore your soul, refocus your mind.
Keep your eye on the prize and always move forward, but don't discount the side trails and always remember to enjoy the view.
