Past the point to your edge

There is an exercise that I do in the morning. You hold your breath out and pump your stomach (it is great for digestion, energizing you, and maintaining the health of your internal organs…in case you care). Part of the idea is that you go past the point of panic.

Okay, so there you are holding your breath out and pumping your stomach. And soon arises a point of panic. You calm yourself and pump one more time. Where are you now?

At another point of panic, so now what? Go past the point of panic. Well, this is a point of panic. You calm again and pump yet again. And where does that get you?

At another point of panic. Calm. Pump. Panic. Calm. Pump. Panic.

And on it goes.

I was riding my bike up a hill the other day with my big kid on a ride along trailer and my little one (she is 5 and at least 40 lbs) in a pull along Burley trailer. Last week was the first time that we had gone up that hill and I was not feeling strong (and I was intimidated by the hill), but this week was different.

As we made our way I kept having the thought that I am tired and should slow down – a moment of surrender. But then I remember to keep asking myself “Am I willing to do one more? Yes.” And I kept going and moved past the first layer of resistance.

Then there was another moment of surrender. And the question, “one more? Yes” And I kept pushing. All the while these quotes from Lance Armstrong played in my head:

• “You get into the race and it's fast and guys are strong it's a suffer-fest. You suffer when you get to those moments."
• "I like to suffer, although it sounds weird.”
• “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”

So I kept pushing. Pain is temporary. It’s a suffer fest and I like to suffer. I kept going. And got past another level of resistance.

And I had a realization while I was huffing and puffing; while my legs were burning; while I was sweating and sweating. My realization was that I will be successful in my life. I will have the impact on people’s lives that I dream about. And the reason is that I am willing to be in that challenging place and keep going. I think that I am really good at being uncomfortable and continuing to push forward. I get to the place where I am ready to give up and I go one more. Then another. And another.

And then I get inspired, excited, and stronger. And the questions that I ask myself shift from can I make it to How far can I push it? What will happen if I keep going? Is there a limit?

In this moment, I connect with what makes Lance Armstrong a world-class bike racer (and it makes me believe/hope that he is really not using performance enhancing drugs). I can see the look in his eye. I can feel the drive to push further than others. To be willing to do one more than the person next to you. To push yourself to that extreme limit.

It’s a fascinating place I look forward to exploring more.