Boy does THAT sound a little ominous... As I took one of my last remaining massage appointments - okay, I have 2 more - with Andrea today it dawned on me... We're at the beginning of the final leg of this episode...
I have been forced to come to a few little realizations:
1) I have not done everything I could... Then again, I don't know if I will EVER think I have done enough. But, and this is my respite, I feel as though I have trained well enough to enter this last phase of training with a focus and ability to push the envelope, test out my limits, and truly be ready for Ironman. So, while I wish I could have trained consistently for 20 hours a week, I feel as though I will be in far better condition heading into August than I was in 2002. And that is, in itself, where my success already lies. It's a 3-5 year process to reach close to you potential, and I am in year 1.
2) De-cluttering life is the key to overall success in anything. The bottom line is that I have, in the past, overcommitted to a myriad of different obligations. And, in many ways, my desire to hang on to these commitments comes mostly out of my ego and belief I can "do it all"... The thing is, while I believe that MAY be SOMEWHAT true (and I would have to argue that it MOST CERTAINLY is NEVER true), who am I trying to make a believer out of? My peers? My parents? Myself? It is along the same lines of needing to own stuff. We live in a world where "stuff" is often a measure of one's value. So are achievements and busy accomplishments. Yet, in the end, what makes us happy? Fulfilled? It's not the "stuff", it's the journey involved... So, I'm in 3 volunteer organizations, holding 3 roles in 1 of them... What does that do for me? I get to go on some trips here and there, which is nice for weekends and such, but in reality I am often overstretched. Who does that serve? It's mostly ego and pride that prevent me from pearing down my obligations, as when I find I have consistent free time I rush to fill it. Ironman training is a really simple process, when it comes down to it. It really is more de-cluttering than anything, because you basically have to put a fire to the underbrush of your life in order to fit the training in. I simply have few evening time free, and aside from work, if it doesn't go with Ironman training, it just doesn't fit... Real simple. It has become easier to say "no" now, and that's almost like stopping the deficit spending for me... Now that I have stopped "adding" responsibility, it's time to start taking a few away. Don't get me wrong, I love volunteering and being community-oriented, and that continues to be a priority for me, but I need to prioritize and really commit myself to something instead of being half good at five (or more) different things.
3) Despite what I once thought, I have definitely become a better conditioned athlete. I've had five years of massages, run training, swim lessons, and bike mileage and, all combined, I am able to withstand a lot of physical activity. I'm tired by 10pm, but I'm definitely pushing harder and longer in my workouts than ever before. I'm better at 32 than I was at 28. And THAT alone makes it worth the whole process, because I still feel I have more in me to discover.
4) To re-emphasize point #2, things SHOULD be a little simpler. I believe in having challenges and striving towards them, but when something just simply is taking a lot of emotional energy to wrap around and seems to go nowhere, it's time to walk away and regroup. Life should not be difficult all the time.
5) To contradict point #2, a new bike every once and a while DOES make a difference in your attitude ;)!
6) People involved in sports are, in general, the greatest people to associate with. Most attitudes are positive as we come from a "can-do" philosophy rather than a "will never happen" camp. It's infectuous and I don't see any reason why we can't always aim to associate ourselves with positive and uplifting people, rather than those who are always focussed on what is negative and wrong in the world and in their life. Those who see possibility in adversity, learning in failure, and opportunity in loss, are the people who are the most inspiring. And, in the world of triathlon, they far outnumber the nay-sayers.
7) Sometimes simplifying life (#2) means getting a really short haircut. That's added 20 minutes of free time to my day...
8) Honesty and ethics are far more valuable than anything. Be true to yourself, your dreams and aspirations, and your friends and family. Everybody will understand, even if they sometimes don't agree with your decision. But you're better off doing what makes you come alive than what you feel you should do. The world needs more people who are alive.
"Everybody's got a hungry heart"... - The Boss (Bruce Springsteen)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
i like the idea that de-cluttering life is one of the most important ingredients to success; in this train of thought, often farsight can become an obstacle rather than help.
Post a Comment