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Week 42: Being Deliberate & Lessons in Progress from The Matrix

Leadership

What if my most important objectives were attached to systems that made them inevitable rather than aspirational?

And why the heck haven’t I tried to do this already?

I guess if it were that easy, everyone would be living the life of their dreams.

In times when I feel frustrated or listless or when imposter syndrome pops back up I feel like I spin my wheels too much. I’m one of those people that needs some time to let things percolate before deciding and acting.

What about when things are changing rapidly? Even with tons of time running, it never seems like enough time to think through it all.

Maybe it means I need to become more decisive. Perhaps it means I need to let more things go.

Or maybe it means it’s time to spend that available bandwidth thinking about how to systematize a process that brings me closer to my goals each day.

After all, when I started ultrarunning, I went and got a plan for how to cross the finish line. When I got a bigger goal, I got a coach and a better plan.

Why haven’t I been so conscientious and deliberative with other goals?

Set better goals, get better life.

Now for the hard part…

Couch to Ultramarathon…and Beyond

There’s a scene near the end of The Matrix where Neo and Trinity have been running from the diabolical Agent Smith following the rescue of their beloved mentor Morpheus.

Trinity is able to escape, while Smith destroys the phone booth that would help Neo escape to safety as well. He turns to run but then stops.

He then turns around to face Agent Smith, his most fearsome opponent.

With the matrix going crazy in the background onboard the ship, Trinity asks Morpheus why Neo isn’t running. Why is he stopping to fight what can’t be beaten?

Morpheus responds, “He’s beginning to believe.”

And while the stakes aren’t life, death, or the salvation of humanity for me, this was my vibe on Saturday after smashing a long workout of hill repeats.

I’m beginning to believe.

Two months ago, I couldn’t see how I was ever going to get to the finish line of a 100k race. It was beyond my comprehension, something ephemeral; imaginary; out-of-reach. A fantasy.

After two months of solid base-building, I can see the path ahead. And it reminded me of the key difference between hope and belief.

Hope isn’t gonna get you shit.

But belief, the real kind that comes from confidence born of hard work, can take us places we never imagined.

The mind is crazy.

It tells us we’re not good enough. Not talented enough. Not working hard enough.

Two months ago, I only had hope.

Hope that training would prepare me. Hope that I’d be able to level up accordingly.

Now, I don’t hope for things to get easier, because I’m starting to actually believe I can make it.

And with that, every run I go on is only building that confidence.

Onward and upward.

“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life–think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.” - Swami Vivekananda

Live triumphantly. See you next week.

*P.S. If this weekly missive resonates on some level, please consider sharing with a friend.