“The willingness to show up changes us, It makes us a little braver each time.”
Brene Brown
A couple of years ago–and solidly into my 40’s–I decided it was about damn time I became a competitive athlete! There was some evidence that this was not a terrible idea but still…
So, I hired some coaches and got a plan set up. It was thrilling and life affirming and HARD. Really, really hard.
I was sore and tired a lot. Eventually, I began to doubt my decision. “Do I really have what it takes?” ” I’m tired!” “I’m sore.” “What if this is a really bad idea.” “Maybe I’m better off just being a coach.”
I didn’t really want to quit. I was just feeling the type A squeeze of going hard everyday relentlessly.
So I made an agreement with myself to just show up and do the work, check the box.
If I was going to be in it for the long haul (and training for competition is a haul.) I needed to give myself a benchmark that I could meet consistantly and successfully.
So I gave myself the 70% rule.
Show up everyday and ask 70% of yourself–that’s it. Check the box and go home. Glory comes later. Right now it’s about consistency.
This was a huge boon for me. It gave me permission to have “bad days” and not question my whole existence. It also gave me permission to hit it hard if I had it in me.
I guess the 70% rule worked.
In June of 2016 I won a Bronze Medal at Pan Ams Masters Championship and in November 2016 I won gold at the American Masters Championship.
And it has worked through my rehab too. I’m headed to Nationals in April–A comp I missed last year because I was 4-days out of surgery when it happened!
It’s cold in New York. A big snow storm is coming through and I do not want to leave the house. But I’m putting on my shoes and heading out to the gym. The good news is, I just have to show up!
