Thinking Thursday: Living All Out

Thinking Thursday

Living All Out

Do you know what you always have inside you?

More to give.

Last week, I talked about the need to “Refresh & Renew.” Those aspects are critical to a quality life and sustained, long-term performance. But, you also have to do the work to achieve your goals. This is where living life all out comes in…

I’ve been doing a lot of research about grit, resilience and generally how to overcome the moments when things are hard. It goes beyond your everyday attitude and approach to life. As Mike Tyson said, “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”

We use just a fraction of our capabilities. It is true. Using these ideas, I’ve been specifically challenging myself at the gym to push beyond physical pain and perceived exhaustion to give more. I’m trusting my body more and ignoring my mind when it gets weak. And, you know what? I’m doing things physically at 42 that I never did at 18.

I’m experiencing the same positive results in making connections, breakthroughs in thinking and embracing emotions. I’m hell bent and determined to not settle for good enough as good enough. Are you settling for “good days?”

“The most important thing is this: to be able at any moment – to sacrifice what you are, for what you will become! ”

Eric Thomas

Want to test your boundaries to go all out more? Here’s what I’ve learned about mental toughness and going all out in any facet of life to achieve what you want:

1. Know your North: As Simon Sinek encourages, “Start with Why.” Without a vision of where you are headed – and why you are headed there, it is impossible to sustain the course when life gets hard.
2. Set small goals: Slow life down by bite-sizing goals. Anyone who has ever been to an AA meeting knows this fact. In AA, you don’t aspire for a lifetime of sobriety. You make a decision one day at a time, in this moment, to choose sobriety. Those little, achievable decisions add up to a lifetime of health and sobriety.
3. Positive self talk: If you think you can, you might; if you think you can’t, you definitely won’t. Set your mind on a loving, positive path to put success in your mind. Eliminate the doubt.
4. Visualize success: See yourself at the end of the challenge having conquered it. See the smile on your face. Feel the sting of the high fives! Embrace the notion that if you can dream it, you can achieve it.
5. Personal Board of Directors: You are always Chairman of your own Board. But, who else sits on your personal Board? These accountability partners help bolster, cheer and support. We do nothing in life alone.
6. Be in control: Whether delivering a keynote speech, selling a product or running a race, your body’s chemistry changes under stress. Stay in the moment. Breathe. Awareness puts us back in control to help offset the faster breathing, racing heart and general malfunctions the body experiences under stress. Be aware. Stay aware.

We always have more to give: to our health, our learning, our work, our community and our relationships. Push past the pain to achieve your potential.

Where are your opportunities to go all out?

#thinkingthursday #grit #principle7