On Fridays I like to share experiences I’ve had during the week with patients and in my personal life that I’ve found significant. I like to share them in hopes that you might find value in them and have something resonate with you in your life.
A good reminder. On Saturday I decided to go on a 4-mile run and it went terribly. My legs felt heavy, I was moving slower than I wanted, and I just couldn’t seem to get going the way I wanted. I’m known for running extremely long races so people are often surprised when I tell them I sometimes struggle on easier runs. So how do I manage experiences like this?
First, I try to think through what I could have done differently either physically, nutritionally, or mentally. Usually, I will think of something to try differently the next time. This changes a “failure” into a valuable learning experience and provides future benefits.
Second, I never allow a substandard performance to fester. I get back out there again and try to do better. I don’t dwell on it because I know that success is never a linear process. In this instance, I got up early on Sunday and did a much tougher and longer run that went much better. By the time that run was over, the terrible run from the previous day was gone from my memory. These two steps not only help me physically but serve me just as well in business and life.
An interesting interaction. I was talking to someone recently about their business. They are in a service industry and were complaining to me that they weren’t getting the amount of business they desired. As a business owner myself in a service industry, they asked me for advice.
I asked questions and eventually found the problem. As it turns out, this person says they will be available for a whole bunch of hours but often fills those hours with activities outside their business. For example, they might not have anyone on their schedule, so they’ll leave their business and go for a hike. Then, when someone does want to come in on short notice, they are engaged in something unrelated to their business and cannot accept the appointment.
This person wants their business to grow without putting in the work to build it. Nothing is going to be handed to us. The only way to succeed in anything is to apply effort, learn from mistakes, and then make corrections. It can be a challenging process but one that can only happen if you are suiting up and showing up!
Something important. In life, we all face challenges that stress us out. These can be personal, health related, business, financial, you name it. These challenges cause us to worry about what we’ll need to do in a week, a month, a year from now, even longer. In my experience, this way of thinking often makes us forget about the most crucial step, what we need to do immediately.
When we are stressed about something, the best thing we can do is focus on what we can do over the next 24 hours and then start doing it. This takes even the largest of goals and breaks it down into something more manageable. It will lessen your stress because you are becoming productive and taking control of what you can. Once you get through that day, simply repeat the process and before long, things become easier and less daunting.
A type of workout I recommend (occasionally). Sometimes I find myself in a rut with certain workouts. These can be weight, running, or cardio but the issue often becomes that I feel like I’m dreading doing a certain workout. This is often when I will break out what I call the “double up.”
Quite simply, whatever the workout is I double it. So, if it’s a 5-mile run, I’ll make it ten. If it’s one hundred burpees I’ll do two hundred, and if it’s a weight workout with a certain number of sets then I will do twice as much. The reason I do this is to “reset my normal.”
By doubling the workout, it helps me mentally reset what I see as difficult. When I return to my normal routine the next time, I can push myself more and it seems easy by comparison. I use this workout to remind myself that things can always get tougher, and it helps me get stronger mentally and physically.
Some quotes I love.
“Become the example the little you needed.” – Brandi McDonald
“Warriors are not the ones who always win but they are the ones who always fight.”
“If you cannot bring peace to your household, how dare you try to rule a city.” – Jordan Peterson
Want more?
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