Field Notes: III
Hikes, HYROX, and Humility
A Line to Live By
“No great thing is created suddenly.”
-Epictetus
There’s no need to rush. Take the logical next step, one step at a time. Before long, you’ll barely remember what it was you were worried about.
Your life is a block of marble. David is already in there. Your job is to chip away, swing by swing, and bring him into the world. So get after it, Michelangelo.
Field Insight: The Slow Burn
I’m a person with large expectations. Along with that comes lofty, long-horizon goals. The downside is that I often lose sight of the small wins happening right under my nose — the new friend at work, the bad habit broken, the quiet signs of momentum.
It’s tempting to wish for the big break or the miracle, but that’s the equivalent of skipping to the end of a movie or flipping straight to the last page of a book. You miss the journey, and the journey is where the real learning and enjoyment take place.
Which leads me to this:
The strongest, most reliable form of motivation is the feeling of progress. The sense that the work I’m putting in is taking shape. What I love most is how progress bleeds across domains — progress in the gym fuels momentum at work; progress at work fuels momentum socially.
What you practice doesn’t matter as much as what practice gives you. And knowing all this, it only makes sense to build an environment that biases your life toward subtle, consistent upward movement.
Incremental improvement compounded over time is the most durable trajectory — the best for your well-being and, in the long run, the best for your results.
The Rub
I’ve got my first HYROX competition next week. I’ve trained for it exactly three times. I hate the feeling of being underprepared, but there’s real value in not waiting at the top of the hill until you’re “ready.” Tips down, and go.
Provisions
A Read: The Ocean at the End of the Lane
I read this book earlier this year. I like to read fiction before bed to help me go to sleep. Gaiman weaves mythology into everything, which makes this a fun story (and provided some pretty cool dreams).
A Listen: Fire in the Sky
This week’s edition of Songs That Make Life Feel Like a Movie…
Credit to my friend Andrew for this one.
Moment From the Road:
I got out for a hike last weekend on a new trail I’ve driven past for years. It offered some great views of the valley I live in, and I found a farm stand with fresh honey a mile and a half up the road. Hard to complain about sixty degrees in December.
If you ever find yourself in a funk, try gaining or losing a thousand feet of elevation. It usually does the trick.
Something to Chew On
What’s a win this week you haven’t stopped to acknowledge?
In the great pyramid of your life, what step did you climb this week?
I’ll see you next week.
I am a fan of simple, healthy, free activities to brighten a person’s mood. I think your suggestion to gain or loose 1,000 feet in elevation would work 100% of the time.
I got a job interview, 2 new job leads, and went to a networking event that I almost bailed on. I left the event with 4 business cards in my pocket and a free dinner in my belly.