What goes through your head moments before the start? What do you think about? How does imagery and focus help you perform? How can you better harness your feelings and emotions to succeed? I dive into my personal tools leading into my most recent race - fresh off injury at the Rattler 25k.
Optimism leans on the premise of ‘why couldn’t it go right?’and not ‘why would it ever go right?’ Optimism at its center is the belief that we can foster hopefulness; it is the ability to believe that life can be good and satisfying.
Optimism is not avoidance and optimism requires us to own all of our shortcomings, and understand that if we repeat the same mistakes we will get the same results. Try, fail, change, repeat.
Every person has an operating system it was developed by our parents, our coaches, and our teachers. We developed it in school, on the playing field, and in meeting rooms. What we aren’t given is a notification or a reminder to ‘update software’. There is nothing designed to flag us when we need to dive into personal development. I share some thoughts after diving into the idea that the operating systems that got us where are, won’t get us where we want to be.
At 13, I was unaware of much else other than friends, wrestling, and video games. It was 18 months before the life changing events I discussed in the last blog, that I had my first experience with running. My dad and I would go out for runs that felt like hours. He saw it as a way to connect. The runs were 30 minutes at an absolute max pace and I remember feeling like I wanted to be done as soon as I started.
Like a potter on the wheel, every athletes starts as a piece of clay, how you choose to mold and manipulate yourself is how you define the end product. Some of us are happy as dog bowls, some of us want to be a beautiful vase. Both have value, both possess skill to make - the biggest factor is time. The vase took thousands of hours and practice to make, the dog bowl is a challenge for a beginner. The success isn’t in making the most beautiful object, the success is put the clay on the wheel. Everything after is art.
In my journey of life thus far, I have seen a solid mix of people living from a place of passion, and many from their limiting belief - believing they are incapable or find themselves chasing a lifestyle they will never have in their current line of work. This was me, I was chasing my calling in the corporate world. Learning that my greatest gift was what I gave away not what I was paid to do.
It’s on you to make the jump. If you feel stuck, you can’t wait for someone to shake you loose. That person you’ve always wanted to be is the person on the other side of fear, discomfort, and doubt. It won’t feel good everyday but when you look back you’ll be happy with the fact that you put yourself out there; so few will.
I was stuck in a mindset and pattern of seeking comfort, the only way I could move forward was to seek discomfort. This meant having tough conversations, taking criticism, and using these as opportunities to grow instead of shrink. Personal growth is a team sport if you’re doing it right - seek out people who push you to be your best - not the ones who allow your comfort.
