Are You Making The Most Powerful Choice?

Today I want to share a personal anecdote with you because I think it’s a good example of something I talk to my clients about all the time — making powerful choices. 

A few months back, I set a new intention to get into a routine of self-care and physical fitness. I’ve found that I have the best results when I have an event or competition to train for and to look forward to. My running partners and I — the Three Amigo’s Runners Club — as we like to call ourselves, agreed to run an upcoming half marathon in NYC together.

Shortly thereafter, one of my buddies was also afforded the opportunity to run the Boston Marathon. To support him, the third amigo and I decided we wanted to up our game too. So I started thinking about what kind of competition I could do to really challenge myself.

I was not really interested in running a flat road course — I really prefer the variety of an obstacle course. My immediate thought was to run a Spartan race this spring. The Spartan races are a series of obstacle course competitions of varying lengths, held in different locations around the U.S.

As I looked at the schedule of available races, I realized there were two distances to consider: the Spartan “Beast” which is 12-14 miles or the Spartan “Ultra Beast” which is 26-30 miles. Both were a good option for me in that they take place in the mountains and include obstacles.

Before I go any further on this, let me give you some background on my history with the Spartan races. Four years ago, I attempted the Spartan Ultra Beast. I completed 17 miles and knew I could finish the event at that point, however, I also knew the possibility of injury was high. I was tired, cold, and it would be dark in about two hours and I still had the better part of half the race left. At that point, I realized I had nothing to prove and decided to end my race there in the name of self-preservation and self-care. At the time it was a good decision. And at the same time, the fact that I didn’t finish the race has certainly stayed with me.

Back to the present day. As I looked at the possibilities around both of the races I was considering — The Beast and the Ultra Beast — I thought about which experience might make the biggest difference in my life. Both races would support training with my two amigos and keep my own fitness integrity. Each one would be an adventure and was sure to be exciting, interesting, and satisfying. 

When I considered the Beast — the shorter distance — I saw that for me this would be a great entry back into the world of obstacle races after four years off. This race is certainly filled with challenges and just my participation would offer me a breakthrough in integrity, commitment, and power. 

With this thought in mind, it seemed to me I had decided. I would ease back into racing and do the shorter race.

My decision nagged at me the next day. I couldn’t get it off my mind. And this was the question that popped up: Was I choosing powerfully? What was the big thing I was really playing for? Asking this question, I realized there was a growth opportunity available to me even just in making my decision. I also realized that for me, the truth was that the shorter race, was safe and predictable. I knew at this point that I could complete the race and really didn’t have to stretch myself too much to accomplish the goal. The truth was, I could probably run the race today, without much preparation. It was quickly emerging in my mind as the safe choice.

The Ultra Beast, however, was not predictable! I would have to train much harder. I would also have to be very committed to a routine and a daily regimen of diet and exercise — which is a lot considering all that’s on my plate these days. All of these factors could ultimately lead to another failure for me.

If I’m honest, the fear failure feels intense for me.

To qualify for the race, I’m obligated to ask friends and family to sponsor me. So if I fail, this would mean I’ll have to go back to all the people who support my effort and report my failure to them. And, more importantly, I will have to be with my personal failure. 

And, there is another player in this story too — my daughter Chloe. Chloe refers to the 2014 Ultra Beast race that I didn’t finish, as the one race “daddy failed in”. She also knows that when she refers to it in this manner, she is poking her dad. I am human and yes, I hold myself to a high standard, and it definitely leaves a mark with me when my daughter mentions this particular failure.

In thinking about this, I had to ask myself: Which race would afford me the greater breakthrough? Which race would really and truly benefit me the most?

I realized that the answer to that question was the Ultra Beast. It felt like the bigger choice. What occurred to me is as a coach, how can I ask my clients to be uncomfortable and choose to live a bigger life when I’m taking the safe route? I generally don’t choose the easy road these days. What made me choose the easier race initially, was the fear of failing again.

Living inside your comfort zone is a small way to live.

All of the possibility in your life exists outside of that — things you can’t even conceive of. There is power in making declarations to do things you don’t know you can achieve. The reality is when you choose to do something and risk failing, there is growth no matter what the outcome. On the other hand, when you live inside predictable results, you already know the outcome and there’s very little room for growth. Choosing the unknown creates the possibility for growth, expansion, and new learning. It’s scary and exciting all at the same time.

I have no idea how the Ultra Beast race will go — and that’s all part of it. I see now that there are many more opportunities to have breakdowns and breakthroughs by choosing the unknown option. And of course, I will share my journey with you and the rest of the world via social media as I work up to the April 27th race. I am excited and nervous about how this will all go — I feel like the possibilities are endless in this space and I remain open to them all.   

So I offer you this: The next time you’re facing a decision or setting a new goal, check in with yourself. Which choice feels powerful? Are you choosing the easy way? Or, are you choosing to step outside of what’s comfortable and go for the thing that you may fail at and that will truly challenge you?

Could you use some support getting out of your comfort zone? I can help you. Click here to sign up for a free Possibilities Conversation with me. We’ll spend 30 minutes together and talk about where you are right now and what’s keeping you from living the life you really want.