“We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Growth in virtue is a marathon, not a sprint. Building our virtue muscles is not always easy, but the reward is Heaven itself. St. Paul likened a virtuous life to an athletic event: “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

A few weeks ago, I let my exercise routine slip. I’m no Mikaela Shiffrin, but I do some aerobics, take long walks, and ride my bike. I’m also a huge fan of stretching every day. With no exercise, I started to feel weak and, worst of all, felt my motivation for exercise slipping away with my muscle tone. But, after returning to just one aerobics class, I felt joyful and optimistic.

Then, I took a nap.

I was worn out, but it only took one “yes” to get back on track!

Our virtue muscles can weaken in the same way. If we’ve let our spiritual discipline slip a bit (which most of us have at some point) and, with it, our motivation to exert ourselves the practice of virtue, we need to get back into the race.

Virtues are habits of doing the right thing, like forgiveness, patience, and gratitude. And the only way to build a habit is to do something over and over until it causes more joy than resistance—until the new way takes on more ease and comfort.

Seven aspects of physical training can help us jumpstart our spiritual life: strength, nutrition, flexibility, speed, agility, injury prevention, and balance.

1. Strength

In “virtue training,” strength of will to do the right thing makes everything else possible. Doing what it takes to grow our love for God (like reading books of the saints and praying regularly) strengthens our conviction that it’s worth it to lose habits that don’t serve us anymore and replace them with the habits of virtue.

Four things that help us build the core strength of will that makes us want friendship with God are:

• The Sacrament of Confession—the ultimate detox. Telling Jesus the ways we’ve distanced ourselves from Him and asking for His healing opens our soul to the grace He is eager to give us.

• Prayer—telling God about our successes and failures and then listening to him.

• Reading about the people who were strong in virtue—the saints.

• Hanging out with people who think growing in holiness is important in order to support each other and pray for each other.

2. Nutrition

What a swimmer eats and drinks can make the difference between making the team or not. We can train as hard as anyone else, but if what we eat makes us lethargic, we can kiss the gold medal goodbye.

It’s the same with the pursuit of virtue. It’s good to notice which actions make our will strong to do good and which ones make our mind drift off track—and adjust our “diet” accordingly.

Most important is receiving the Eucharist, God’s superfood and our way to “share in the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). Also, consider reviewing the media you consume and looking honestly at your conversations and thoughts—and bringing them to prayer. God will move your heart to let go of what leads you from Him.

Approaching this “nutrition inventory” fearlessly and prayerfully yields freedom from unhelpful habits. The more intentional we are about what we put into our mind and heart, the more spontaneous and joyful we’ll be, because we’re leaving room on the plate for God.

3. Flexibility

A gymnast knows that stretching is challenging if she’s doing it right. With virtue, flexibility means stretching our desires to match what is right, even if it’s not always comfortable.

A priest told me recently that a good way to minimize self-will is to ask a family member or co-worker how they think something should be done and then to do it their way—especially when we think our way is the right way. (Did I mention stretching is challenging sometimes?)

4. Speed

Sometimes, I put off doing generous things because whatever I’m offering seems inadequate. Then, I remember the time my neighbor arrived at our door with a loaf of Italian bread from the bakery. I was so touched; it still warms my heart years later.

It turns out it is the thought that counts.

An old proverb says that he who gives quickly gives twice. Doing the right thing without hesitating is a sign of mastery in virtue.

5. Agility

A tennis player has to be ready for a ball coming from any direction at any moment. We never know what life will bring next, so we need to be familiar with the virtues and develop a habit of putting the right ones to use in each circumstance. Click here for my tip sheet on the four cardinal virtues and ways to put them into practice.

6. Injury Prevention

A hurdler with strong and flexible muscles is less prone to injury. Similarly, our soul is less prone to sin if we’ve frequented the Sacraments and prayed every day—and, if we do sin, the “injury” will be less serious.

Before I was Catholic, I used to cheat on my taxes. I figured if I could get away with it, why not? My dishonest actions injured me by taking me further from God. I was growing my pride, not my virtue, and putting myself at even greater risk of injury to my soul.

When I rediscovered the good God and, by his grace, grew in my desire for him, I gained protection from mortal injury to my soul (and jail time!).

7. Balance

A boxer needs good balance so he isn’t knocked down when he is hit unexpectedly, and a morally upright person does not easily fall when tempted, because she has made a commitment to loving what is right. She has practiced not letting emotions rule her behavior and asking God for guidance every day.

A great way to stay balanced is to laugh off thoughts of revenge or discouragement by remembering that it’s just a “garden-variety temptation”—“garden” as in the Garden of Eden. The tempter hates being laughed at!

The more we develop our spiritual core strengths, the more we’re aligned with God’s will and enjoy the freedom of the children of God—because in the end, any strength we have comes from him.

Rose Folsom is an author, speaker, and spiritual director who has helped over 6,000 Catholics have a deeper connection with God so they can have less stress, make better decisions, and have more peace in their lives. Her own prayer life started at zero when, in her thirties, she was called into the Catholic Church—so she knows what it’s like to wonder if God’s even listening, and how distraction and inconsistency can lead to discouragement in prayer. Ever since, she’s been helping people build the skills that anyone can learn to have a great prayer life. Download her free gift, “Three Things You Can Do Today to Jumpstart Your Prayer Life” at https://virtueconnection.com/.