It Will Come...
I want to pass along a bit of advice I received from John Hellemans when I started back to training.
You might have reached a stage… that you can train properly.
The first few weeks/months following a long break is painful for older age groupers as it takes much longer to feel comfortable with a training routine compared to when we were younger.
I have seen many middle-aged age groupers give up because of this phenomenon.
But if you are bloody minded enough, it will come…
John sent the above in May 2023.
His experience, that it gets better, kept me going through the challenges of my return to racing.
As it turned out, I was a year away from “training properly.”
Powerful Framing
John’s advice (it will come) applies more broadly than athletic training.
A good friend is trying to make a positive change in their life.
It’s a simple change => stop drinking.
The change is backed up with clear motivation => so I don’t die young.1
I love the framing.
Don’t drink.
Live longer.
Simple, easy to understand.
I’ve found it helps to replace the habit.
I’m going to need to learn how to do it.
Who can teach me about that?2
Another example…
At 55, shortly, I will begin the process of becoming a golden oldie.
What’s that going to be like?
How am I likely to change?
What are my options?
New input, from outside the environment that created our current life situation, can be extremely helpful.
Mental Conditioning
Not just for athletes!
Often, I am clueless about my baggage.
Baggage from prior decisions.
Baggage from past “failures.”
At times I have lost confidence in my ability to change my life.3
Across my late-40s, I had a series of setbacks that beat me down to the point I gave up.
I gave up on competitive sport, I’m glad I didn’t give up in other areas of my life.
Quitting can be contagious.
Fortunately, when faced with the challenge of learning how to parent, I reached out for expert advice and learned new skills.
Setbacks feel unique, they are not.
Good teachers, patience, and a support network got me over the hump.
Every. Single. Time.
Which brings me back to John’s point.
We are not able to predict when things are about to get easier.
Easier is not the same as easy.
Setbacks will continue.
Our job is to persist towards the life we wish to create for ourselves.
Take time to notice the good moments.
Sports, parenting, alcoholism, substance abuse… different but similar.
There are people out there who have walked the path we want to follow.
Helpful guidance can be the difference between success and (another) “failure.”
What’s the simple action I need to take to move toward my goal?
Parenting: Don’t Act on Anger, Learn To Deescalate, Persist.
Sport: Consistency As Protocol, Persist.
Substances: Don’t Use, Persist.4
Keep it simple, and persist.
Another good combination I came across…
I will improve my metabolic health…
To reduce my risk for dementia.
Simple, yet powerful, statements can help us re-direct our lives.
For the things that matter, what’s YOUR framing?
Everyone in my life (including myself) is reluctant to ask for help. The right person is life changing.
I got tagged in a tweet after the last Winter Olympics, and that started a journey that took me back to the top of amateur racing.
My Dad was given a piece of advice from a doc I used to coach, and that started a journey that knocked 60 pounds off his frame and changed his life.
A tweet…
A few words at the right time…
Small changes have large impacts when compounded.
Put another way. I had lost my faith in the ability to self-direct my life. Restoring faith begins by keeping small promises to ourselves.
A favorite book on how our minds work is Awareness, I wrote about it here.
Thank you for sharing some of the “warts and all” of your journey, Gordo. Like, “Across my late-40s, I had a series of setbacks that beat me down to the point I gave up.”. But you didn’t, and if you had of, none of us would have found your inspiration for our own journeys. Compound interest ✅ 🙏.