Stronger, Smarter, Better Newsletter #6 – Stop Seeing What You Expect To See
What do you see?
A good friend told me this story a couple of years ago. I’ve never forgotten it.
I was out for a run in the city and had lost my breath. I wound up stopping at a red light and leaned over with my hands on my knees. When the light turned green I hobbled across the street, trying not to cramp up anymore. In that moment someone rolled down their window and yelled “Pick up the pace, fatty!” I laughed to myself because…well, if only they knew what I was up to…
My friend ran the Salt Lake City marathon one week later, his first. When the person in the car had seen him doubled over, he had just finished his 23rd mile in the summer sun. He was dragging, and he’d earned the right to be dragging by that point.
Love the smell of chalk, the feel of a knurled bar and the unmistakable clank of iron? So do we. Straight To The Bar – the home of all things strength. Come and say hi.
Quit seeing what you expect to see
We like to pretend we know things we don’t. It’s easier and helps us make sense of the world. Most days are pretty chaotic and most people will take any chance they can to feel like they’re in control of things. Seeing what you expect is a way to feel safe: you don’t have to give anyone the benefit of the doubt and you don’t have to make the effort to change your thought processes.
If this works for you, keep it up and I wish you well.
If you are ready for something more–ready to be better for yourself and for others–than take a long around you today and try to rethink things. Ask yourself if you have made your mind up about things because it’s convenient…not necessarily because it’s true.
Take some time to reevaluate your mind, your training, your relationships, and your emotions. If you are capable of starting anything over that would be beneficial to yourself, see if you can find a way to get a blank slate going.
I’ll be doing the same.
Josh
Get Stronger, Get Smarter, Live Better…Every Day
