There are some incredible people on this planet. We constantly hear about people accomplishing incredible physical and mental feats. How do people run for 100 miles straight, or climb up Mount Everest, or spend months in silence in a monastery? A man just ran a marathon distance in less than 2 hours!!
I’ve been reading recently about David Goggins. He’s an ex-Navy Seal that’s gone on to become an extreme ultramarathoner and motivational speaker. He’s pushed himself on from being a mediocre athlete to now being considered one of the “world’s toughest men”. Now I’m not advocating for his lifestyle or for us to accomplish harrowing physical feats. And to be honest, I don’t really admire his overly aggressive methods and promotional style. But we can learn a lot from people who overcome significant challenges to accomplish great things.
I’ve certainly never done anything quite impressive as this. But to get through medicine, I’ve certainly had to overcome a lot of barriers that seemed near impossible at the time. When looking back, it’s easy to see a lot of the limits I placed on myself, and to understand that the biggest barriers were mental ones. I certainly didn’t believe that I would be able to stay up all night and function, or handle emergency situations calmly and professionally. But when forced to do these things I’ve come out on the other side amazed by my own ability to function under intense conditions. I surprised myself by what I was able to do and gained confidence in my abilities. It’s true, we are capable of many great things. Here’s some ways how….
“Embrace the suck”
This is an old military saying, and there’s a lot of wisdom in this. When we are engaged in things that are difficult, we often experience a lot more personal growth then when we are doing things that are comfortable, familiar, and easy. So, when things are hard, that’s okay.
If we can understand that on the other side of hard is personal growth then it gives meaning to our suffering in the moment. It’s important and meaningful for us to do things that push us out of our comfort zone.
You are capable of a lot more than you think you are.
A lot of the limits we set for ourselves are mental. Often we tell ourselves that we “can’t” do something, or that something is “too hard”. I know that I’ve been guilty of this at times. But often what separates successful people from others is their mentality.
Goggins believes in the 40% rule.
“When your mind tells you you’re done, you’re only 40% done”.
While I’m not sure this has been ever scientifically proven, there certainly is evidence that we’re a lot more capable then we think we are. We know about the power of the placebo effect on the mind. One study on athletes showed a 22% improvement in performance when they were given a placebo pill but told it was a caffeine pill that would improve their performance. There are hundreds of other studies proving similar effects.
When we are able to challenge the barriers we set for ourselves, and push through perceived limitations we capable of more than we know.
Create a purpose
“But there are men for whom the unattainable has a special attraction. Usually they are not experts: their ambitions and fantasies are strong enough to brush aside the doubts which more cautious men might have. Determination and faith are their strongest weapons. At best such men are regarded as eccentric; at worst, mad. . – Jon Krakauer, Into Thin Air
When we are able to give ourselves meaning around what we are doing, then it is a lot easier to push ourselves beyond where we might ordinarily go.
Sometimes that purpose can be intrinsic. I’m currently re-reading “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer. It’s an account of an ascent on the world’s highest mountain, Everest. Although it’s a tragic account, Krakauer talks a lot about why so many people were willing to take on such great personal risk to try and attain such a difficult goal. For many, it was just to see if they were capable of achieving something that was considered the pinnacle of their sport. They were so driven by this purpose that they were willing to take a great personal, physical and financial risks.
As well, purpose can be extrinsic. Perhaps you’re doing something for the greater good or to fulfil some outer moral purpose. I’ve worked in the humanitarian sector and have seen people enduring great personal suffering in difficult conditions for a greater outstanding purpose. I personally have been able to live through work in an active combat zone, and did so willingly because I believed that the work I did was critically important.
Creating a purpose around a goal can help free us up from excuses and propel us through imaginary boundaries.
Visualize
Sometimes the best way to overcome mental limitations is to picture yourself overcoming them and learn to gain belief in yourself. Let’s say your goal was to run a marathon in a year. How good might it feel when you are at the finish line of that marathon? Picture yourself crossing the line and achieving your goal. Imagine yourself being the successful person you deeply want to be. Perhaps picture some of the limitations to you accomplishing your goals and see yourself overcoming them. Harness the power of your mind to help you to see how far you’re able to go.
Why NOT you?
