Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot
On Fridays, I like to share experiences from my week—both with patients and in my personal life—that have left a meaningful impact. My hope is that these reflections offer you something of value, a bit of insight or encouragement that resonates with your own journey and inspires you in some way.
What’s your level? Something I believe strongly in is “competitive stamina” which is our ability to bring consistent, high-level effort to the things that matter most. When I was younger, mine was pretty low in almost everything except working out. I could get excited, work extremely hard for a while, but if I didn’t see quick results, my effort would fade. I think this is common for many. Starting strong is easy when motivation is high; the real challenge is continuing to compete when the excitement wears off and the rewards aren’t immediate.
My competitive stamina is much higher now, largely because I’ve learned to focus less on the task and more on why it matters. I work hard because providing for my family is important. I stay engaged as a husband and father because those relationships are crucial. Connecting the work to something meaningful makes it much easier to return to it day after day, even when it’s difficult or I don’t feel like it. Competitive stamina isn’t about how great an effort you can produce once, it’s how consistently you can come back and give your best to what matters most.
What’s your kryptonite? As we all know, Superman was affected by kryptonite, the one thing that could weaken him simply by being around it. I think we all have our own versions of this. There are certain behaviors I encounter that make me think, “Man, that is kryptonite to me.” Mine generally fall into three categories: constant complaining without any attempt to improve the situation, lack of effort, and words that aren’t supported by actions. None of us are perfect, and anyone can display one or more of these occasionally. However, when they become patterns, I find them especially difficult to be around.
Knowing your kryptonite is valuable because what we repeatedly expose ourselves to affects our energy, attitude, and eventually our own behavior. That doesn’t entail judging everyone who thinks or behaves differently, but it does mean being thoughtful about what you allow to consistently surround you. I know what tends to drain me, distract me, or pull me away from the person I want to be, so I try to limit my exposure to it. Know your kryptonite, not because you’re better than it, but because you’re responsible for protecting the best parts of yourself from it.
How do you handle the hills? When I write these 5 Spots, some weeks the ideas come easily and I end up writing more than I can use. Other weeks, I’ll sit down intending to write five and struggle to finish one. It reminds me of a lesson I learned in ultrarunning: “Don’t walk the downhills, and don’t overexert yourself on an uphill unless you can see the top.” In other words, when the terrain is working in your favor, take advantage of it. If you’re facing a long climb, manage yourself so you can keep moving. Life works much the same way.
When you have momentum with work, exercise, relationships, or good habits, don’t squander it. Lean into it and see how far it can carry you because it won’t always feel that effortless. On the other hand, if things feel sluggish or unusually difficult, it’s okay to slow the pace when circumstances allow. In these times the goal is to keep making progress without exhausting yourself and trying to force what isn’t there. In life, take advantage of your downhills, be patient on the long uphills, and above all, keep moving forward.
How much do you invest? If you went on a first date and it went terribly, you probably wouldn’t fight desperately to make the relationship work. But if your marriage hits a rough patch, it should be a very different story. The difference is simple – when we have little invested, it’s easy to walk away; when we’ve invested deeply, we’re much more willing to fight for something. I think this principle applies to almost anything meaningful in life such as relationships, businesses, health, careers, and personal goals.
Putting our best effort into something can produce immediate results, but there’s another benefit that develops over time which is sweat equity. Once we’ve invested enough work, sacrifice, and energy into something that matters, walking away becomes much harder. Instead, we’re more likely to solve problems, adapt, learn, and find another way forward. The investment itself strengthens our commitment. If something truly matters to you, invest heavily in it. The more sweat equity you build, the harder it becomes to quit on something worth fighting for.
Some quotes I Love.
“You either face your demons or they raise your children.”
“If you’re tired of starting over, stop giving up.” – Shia LaBeouf