Brett Blankner interviewed me on his podcast this week – Zen and the Art of Triathlon (my interview begins at 1:47:30 of the episode):
Towards the end of the conversation, we talked about the importance of starting the race, or any endeavor, and how much more important starting is than finishing.
Starting means you’re taking action – you’re doing something, anything to move you closer to what you want. A decision is important. Identifying goals is important. But they’re nothing without action, ands starting is action. Starting validates commitment.
You got a dream, you got to protect it… You want something? Go get it. Period.
– Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness
In his book “Natural Born Heroes,” Christopher McDougall (the barefoot runner guy…), described a 50-mile trek introduced by John F. Kennedy when he learned that the military duty rejected 50% of those called as “unfit.” In describing Kennedy’s rationale for the 50-miler, McDougall wrote about the 1000s of competitors that now participate in the JFK 50 Mile every year:
..if we have the confidence to start, we’ll find what we need to finish.
Once you begin, the path will show you the way. I believe this with any endeavor, any workout, any day.
Take the first three steps, no matter how small, and you’ve begun your journey.
In the podcast, I described the fear I felt before starting Uberman, but when the alarm went off at three o-clock, I was calm. I was ready. I was starting. The journey would begin.
This isn’t just for big outcomes. There are days I just don’t feel like a workout, but I know that I have to, whether for training or to adjust my Self. Lena often suggests – “Just go out and do a few kettle bell swings…” She’s right. Picking up the kettle ball primes your body and mind. My mind goes into autopilot:
I can do ten swings, so I’ll start there… Six… seven… eight… nine… If I can do ten, I can do 25. If I can do 25, I can do another set… First I’ll plop down for ten pushups. Ten? That’s easy. Make it to 15… 20… Okay, done. I’m breathing hard. My body is warming up. Might as well rollover for 25 sit-ups while I’m down here. 25 sit-ups done. Okay, back to the next 25 kettle bells swings. Done. Back down for another round of push-ups and sit-ups… Wait a second… How about five pull-ups in between?…
Sunday evenings are often rough for me, filled with anxiety. I’ll often have a packed week scheduled – a workshop on Monday then stacked with calls Tuesday. Back to San Francisco on Wednesday. More calls on Thursday, then playing catch up and while planning ahead on Friday.
But when four o’clock Monday morning comes around, I know all is well because now I’m starting. I’m doing it.
Surely throughout the day, doubts creep into my mind. Is the day going well? Will I find a few more clients? Why did that guy cancel on me? Is all of this worth the time and effort? Why am I doing this?
In the end, it doesn’t matter because I’m giving my best each moment, and however the day finishes, I’ve done all that I can. I’ve given my best. I started and given myself a chance to learn and succeed. I know that night I’ll be home in my bed and that tomorrow is another day.
I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all he holds dear is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle, victorious.
– Steve Jobs
Victory comes in starting. Relish that you’ve made a decision, taken action, and started. Whatever your endeavor, big or small, just start and celebrate that you’re doing it. That is victory. Starting. Trying. Doing. Be a verb. Begin and life will show you the way.
Oh yes, it’s gonna be hard. Really hard. Really, really hard. But until you start, you can’t know what the hard is and how to overcome it. The finish line you care about so much about might not even exist. Or worse, you cross it and don’t feel the satisfaction you expected. I’ve felt that. But you’ll never know unless you start.
If you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth.
– Rocky Balboa
Do something, anything. Please, just start.