About a year ago I read the book, Living with a Seal, by Jesse Itzler. One of the best things I learned in that book is what the seal told Jesse about what to do when your body hits the wall. You know the wall I’m talking about when you are exercising and meet the sudden realization that you can’t go on any longer. You feel like you are about to drop and somehow the sweet suddenly is seeming to pour off you like a waterfall, which can’t be good or right.

The seal told Jesse when you hit the wall, your body still has 60% more it can go!

This is not a scientific fact per say; it’s anecdotal. But, consider that this is the opinion of a man that made it through Navy Seal training AND Army Ranger School. I think he might know a thing or two about pushing through pain and hitting the wall. I’m going to take him at his word.

In my training, I’m finding this to be true. I’m also finding I can apply it to a lot more than physical training.

When I hit a wall, I first remind myself that I have 60% left to give and that this wall is only in my mind. Then, I find the next gear, push through the pain and press on no matter what. It’s like riding a geared bike up a big hill. At first, it gets hard to peddle, then you drop into the next gear, the peddling gets easier, and you fly up the hill.

This has been true with my focus as well. When I’m hitting a wall and know I’m losing focus, I take a quick break, mentally drop into the next gear knowing I can push through, and get back in the game.

People are tougher than we think. We can endure more physically than we realize, and I think the same is true for us mentally and emotionally as well. We habitually under index our abilities and then give less effort than we should. Hitting the wall and not pushing through it.

So let’s stop that. Let’s recognize our mental and physical toughness, drop into that next gear, and press on toward our goals. Here’s to making today great!

Photo by Wayne Bishop on Unsplash