Remember where we came from
This week I read and awesome article about Fitness and limiting beliefs.
You've probably heard about the poor beetle. A big, slow and clumsy bug, that most of the time is upside down while struggling to turn around — not the best example of natural success.
People often like to compare themselves to the fantastic spiders or deadly scorpions. I try not to. I try to think of myself more as a beetle.
We always need to remember where we came from and who we are. It is crazy to think how many times I woke up at 4.30 am on a business trip, and walked through the snow to hit the gym, believing that a single workout would transform my life.
Discipline is the capability to delay short term gratification. It is one of the few things that can completely change our lives.
Over the years, every drop of sweat compounded positively into different areas, and I am not talking only about the physical benefits — workouts are also a great tool for our minds.
We all start from somewhere
Sports were always a massive part of my life. Since a kid, I swam, I played tennis, badminton, I did horse jumping, weight lifting, thai boxing and many more.
Remember the sensation of our first day at school? Or when starting a new job? That same feeling was always present in my initial training sessions, we are not sure we will adapt to it.
This feeling of uncertainty tries to push us back — I am never gonna get good at this. But we must push through. To get somewhere, we must start somewhere.
When it comes to sports, I do not consider myself particularly talented or gifted. There were lots of other friends who would learn it faster and better, I was more on the hard work side of things, and I can say today that it really paid off over time.
"Passion, obsession and talent are only useful tools if you have the hard work to back them up in the first place", David Goggins.
Ignore the judgement
Just like when the beetle awkwardly tries to fly, when someone who is overweight or too skinny starts working out, the usual reaction is discredit. This reaction is usually shown in the form of jokes or comments.
The person who's attempting something different, besides facing the physical barrier, now also has to face the psychological impact caused by other people's judgement.
This creates a wall, and sometimes, an insurmountable barrier. The psychological resistance caused by the fear of judgement — if our minds are not prepared — can become stronger than the desire and will to take action.
When we manage to break this barrier, we learn something big — the discipline to give the first step even in adverse conditions.
Developing an armored mind
When we reach our limits, when we don't want to do one more rep, run one more meter, or swim one more lap, our minds start questioning ourselves — Why am I here? Why am I doing this? Why suffer when I could just go home?
If we manage to do that one more rep, that extra meter, that additional lap, we can flip the script. We gain a new perspective.
All the suffering that challenged us to our core, turns into satisfaction. Even if momentarily, we managed to tame our minds by fighting the desire to quit. Practice this consistently and it will gradually make our minds stronger to face other types of challenges.
"People don't realize that physical challenges are our best tools to strengthening our minds. They callous the mind and the body. Workouts are mental too", David Goggins.
Physical exercises are one the most powerful tools to cultivate the discipline we need to face the obstacles that might arise in our lives.
Walk your own path
The beetle is an insect that, based on its physical conception, does not have the required aerodynamics to fly. Its wings are too small for its big body, which in theory would make the act of flying impossible, but the beetle doesn't know that.
Slowly, struggling, but still moving forward, in his own time and in his own rhythm — the beetle still flies.
Recognizing that we all have different potential, and a unique path to walk, is essential to give us the courage to start. This desire to be like everyone else is what blocks us from walking our own paths.
Remember that the world is not a race where we try to get there first. We can only compare ourselves to one person — who we were yesterday.
Time to fly
When I look back I see the positive effects of those 4.30 am snowy workouts. It was never about the workout, it was about not missing the workouts, and realizing they were the training grounds to continuously develop discipline.
Physical exercises are a great tool that any of us can use to harden our minds. It can teach us how to consistently take the first step despite uncertainty, how to evolve our limits, and how to to feel comfortable in discomfort.
Beware of people that will put you down. There is a huge amount of freedom that comes to you when you take nothing personally. We have to, in a way, develop our selfishness, and learn choose ourselves first.
Don't compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to who you could be — and if you can choose who you want to be, maybe choose to be more like the beetle!
