Your Limits, And Beyond!
The human body is amazing and the mind is even more complex and amazing. One thing that I have been putting into practice since I started Discipline or Regret pushing myself beyond the limits that my mind believes that I have reached.
When we feel we just cannot go on, if we’d push by these barriers our REAL potential will be unleashed! I don’t know if you remember an article I wrote about a 10 second count down that I give myself before I act, this is so simple but such an effective method that will help you make (what I call) a better and more controlled response.
A lot of the time when you feel that you have reached your limits if you’d only hang on a little longer or give a little more of a push you would take yourself into a new zone that is beyond what your mind thinks it can handle.
We can’t always be ruled and controlled by our emotions; for example I completed 141 workouts in the first year of Discipline or Regret and I would be lying if I said I went to all of them with excitement, sometimes I just wanted to stay in bed, or curl up in front of the TV, but I gave a count down and made a better decision that was not based on my feelings.
When I am getting ready to get into a tough workout I see my efforts in three layers;
There is another level after we have had a breakthrough and that is the Danger Zone; not only is this dangerous to our health it can also give us less results that we are looking for. And being human, if you are not getting the results you’re not going to last long.
Remember doing more is not always the best, it’s doing it right and smarter that gives the results. So in this new year I encourage you to push yourself and start to learn what zone that you are in, but do stay safe.
January 12th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
This is a terrific post. I need to remember this when I am running and I hit that wall at about 15 minutes. If I can make myself fight through that barrier, I am sure I can make the entire 30 minutes.
January 13th, 2009 at 1:54 am
Thanks Irene, yeah this is really important to our progress and overall success. With a strength training session I need to push through short zones of pain but now with my spinning class it’s a whole new ball game, I have to push through for one whole hour.
But hey I managed three sessions last week, but I felt wrecked each session after 15 min!!
Well here’s to another bash this week!
Take care!
January 14th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
The 10 second countdown is a great idea. I always just try and tell myself little things when I don’t feel like working out, like I’ll just go for 10 minutes – then of course, once I get going, it’s much longer. So interesting how you can trick your own mind.
January 15th, 2009 at 12:38 am
Hi FF, Yeah it’s all about pushing through our mind barriers to achieve something great!
Good stuff, keep going!
Take care,
Andrew