Holding on to things is what is causing you to feel pain. This can grow us if we allow it to, but the paradox is to remember, YOU are the one doing the holding
TCO
Imagine doing a bicep curl, and after 15 repetitions, you feel an intense burning in your arm. In weightlifting, you feel a burning sensation in your arm because you continue to curl the weight. This is where the most work is being done. In those last few reps of effort, you are squeezing out the important work. The last few reps are where the work is done in its most intense form. It is here, among all other points, where the urge to quit is at its greatest. You burn the most here, yet paradoxically, this stress is indicative that you’re pushing yourself hard enough.
Life can be this way.
There are times when we feel like we can do more, and that life is too easy. We’ve chosen too light of a weight and find that the work isn’t forcing us to progress. We don’t grow from the weight if it is too light or the volume is too little. Similarly, if the tasks we undertake aren’t challenging enough, or the amount we are doing is too little, we find ourselves unable to grow as individuals.
There are times when we’re doing too much. We grabbed too heavy a weight. One of three things happens.
- We cannot move the weight and recognizing this, we move to a more reasonable workload.
- We are able to move it, but when attempting the curl, we cannot get more than a few reps and fall short
- We are able to do repetitions, but injure ourselves in the process because we engaged in poor form.
The first option is akin to someone knowing their limits, and deciding to choose something that they can do. The caveat is that they may be doing too little, and by declining to embrace potential failure, they have possibly limited themselves.
The second option is similar to a person biting off a bit more than they can chew, but they’re still able to get most of it done, and they’re still better for having found out their limits.
In the third scenario, the person has taken on far too much, and in some way, this takes a toll. Much like option two, option three still allows a person to get an idea of where they should draw a line, and this information is a good thing. The bummer is that they now must recover.
But wait, I lied, there is another option. We pick up the weight, it seems too heavy, and we doubt ourselves, but to our surprise, we move the damn thing. Not only that, but we move it for more reps than we had thought we could previously, and we never would have known if we’d been afraid to fail.
The Bigger Picture
Life is about balance. We are very dualistic in nature. We have sympathetic and parasympathetic systems; one winds us up to engage with the world, and the other allows relaxation. Our brain is dependent on a balance of neurotransmitters. In a similar fashion, much of the work is done by the balancing act between a variety of chemicals that have antagonistic effects.
We must take this into account when living. There is a line to be walked, or rather two guardrails of a bridge, and would behoove any human to stay in the middle of the “highs” and the “lows”, never straying too far to either side. In this way, we ought to approach our endeavors.
The Balances of Goals
Goldilocks Goals
It is important to choose goals, like weights, that will enable you to push yourself and in turn, allow for growth. Much like the weights, we must pick something challenging enough to induce work, but not so challenging that it induces injury. With that being said, failure is no bad thing. It is a lesson, and it is often better than staying in a zone of not knowing the load that one can bear.
Goldilocks Goal: scary, but attainable
The Process of Being
As one pursues a goal, it is in the process that a beautiful life is found. During such processes, the system 1 chatter of the mind falls silent as the attention is placed upon the task at hand. This is how the process can be taken… set the goal, mark out the path, and walk it. As you do, fully engage with the sights around you. This is the middle path.