You Don’t Know How Good You Can Be
We are quick to rule things out or evaluate based on a half-baked first attempt, declaring “I’m not a (insert judgement here)…”
- good parent,
- good partner,
- good at tech stuff,
- musician,
- public speaker.
You name it, we conclude it — and all that does is shut the door on a possibility that may be available to you on the other side of some self-compassion.
You read all the books — Brené’s Daring Greatly, Dweck’s Growth Mindset, even try some Ant Middleton “first man in” — but yet at that first attempt, you cut yourself off at the knees.
What if we were all 20% nicer to ourselves?
One of my first mentors — someone I sought out after hearing him lecture — posed a question in the middle of his 40 minutes:
“Imagine a world where we were all 20% nicer to ourselves?”
Imagine that, I thought. That’s it right there.
We often hear people preaching to treat others the way we would like to be treated, yet we rarely treat ourselves with the kindness we extend to others. There are many theories on why, and a lot greater minds than mine to dissect your childhood to understand.
I suppose what I’ve tried to create is the space for you to be 20% nicer to yourself. With your physical fitness as the platform and your body as the tool, we can work on the mind. We are allowing ourselves the freedom and space to improve.
The neon wig story
There is a gentleman who is preparing for his 6th half marathon with us.
The first 5km event, I had to virtually drag him along to — literally dressing up in a neon wig and fluro pants for him to attend. He did it, and he loved it.
He never saw himself running a marathon in Melbourne and New York, or looking forward to doing another 21.
The truth is, he never started comparing his times or signing up to Garmin and Strava and Couch to 5km all at once. He just ran — because it helped him get through a pretty tough time.
Out the back of that tough time, he had built a base of fitness that has taken him all over the country and to the other side of the world. That same big smile plastered on his face that ran alongside me with the wig on all those years ago.
Just to put your minds at ease — he has also got a lot better in the process. His first ever half marathon was a 2 hour and 30-minute effort (nothing to sneeze at for a first attempt). His last: 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Process over pace
At Zealthier, we don’t focus on pace or comparisons; we focus on process and all the little things to make your experience a positive one. The social element, nutrition, recovery, stretching, strength, mindset — the results will take care of themselves.
In truth, I have run just as many and done none of the preparation runs with any of the guys because of the hours I have to work in the studio — but I have never once been alone on the run. Knowing we’re all doing it together means I’m giving imaginary high 5’s and check-ins the whole way.
So through this process, don’t conclude anything. Don’t talk yourself into or out of anything. Focus on enjoying the experience and throwing plenty of banter and chat among the crew as you go.
Lots of love, and thanks for being brave and starting.
Don’t write yourself off after one half-baked first attempt. Be 20% nicer to yourself, focus on the process rather than pace or comparison, and let the results take care of themselves — you don’t know how good you can be until you give yourself the space to find out.
Yours in Health,
Sean Cornish
Ready to be 20% nicer to yourself?
No comparisons, no judgement — just a process built around you. Book a consultation and let’s take the first step together.
