115. Accept Challenge

Here’s your quote for the week:

Optimism says things can improve, you can grow, and the future can be better.

Realism says this will be hard. There are limits, risks and trade offs.

Don’t eliminate either one. Optimism or realism.

Progress happens when you expect good outcomes and at the same time, have respect for frictions, constraints and necessary effort.

Obstacles are inevitable. Don’t use them as excuses. Goals worth setting are difficult to achieve. Don’t think otherwise.

Make peace with that tension.

Accept the challenges you’re faced with, like the first guy who ever deadlifted 1000 pounds did. Andy Bolton knew he would succeed in his 1003 pound first attempt at the 2006 Powerlifting Congress World Championships. He also knew it wouldn’t be easy.

His optimism was relentless because of the challenge he accepted. He put in the necessary effort in the lead up to the event, and it was impossible to be more prepared than he was. The result was inevitable, because he knew how hard it was.

That’s what world record breakers do. However, regular shmucks like you and me can do it too. Accept challenge that is.

I did my first HYROX event last month. In laymen’s terms, it’s a fitness race. One that people generally train for for many months leading up to the event. I did it without training. How? By accepting it would be an incredible challenge that may break me a little. That, and a long time standing generally advanced level of fitness, but that’s not the point.

The point is to think that I would rock it would have been naive. That said, to think that I couldn’t do it would be equally naive. There was tension between I know I can do it, and I also know it’s going to hurt because I haven’t trained for it. But I made peace with that tension, and my successful completion of the event was inevitable.

Things worth doing are hard. There will be challenges in all categories, and it doesn’t matter if that doesn’t concern you. When things get hard is not the time to be concerned. I’d venture to say it’s more concerning if it’s been a while since you felt challenged.

Villains get concerned when times are tough. Hero’s double down and find peace in tension.

Be a hero. No, not like Spider-Man or Wonder-woman. Just a hero who doesn’t back down in the face of challenge. One that isn’t concerned if today might be tough.

And today will be tough. It’s okay to admit it. And no, I’m not suggesting you lower your expectations, I’m suggesting you raise your emotional resilience.

Make peace with that tension. Today will be tough, and it will be awesome. It can be both, because you can accept challenge.

Personally, my best workouts are the hardest ones. My most fulfilling days are the ones when I feel I’ve got nothing left to give the world when I go to bed. My best year might have been last year. It was also the hardest.

This is not your time to back down because it’s starting to get tough. This is not your time to adjust your goals because you know the work that’s required is challenging. Try a Barney Stinson and make this your new favourite phrase.

Challenge accepted.

— Cody

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