Mindset is key in this sport. I had actually started with mindset is everything, but it is not. It is a hyperbolic cliche to make elements of success seemingly binary. Like saying “without the right mindset you will fail…”. I don’t subscribe to this. Without the right mindset you may not reach your full potential. That is different from failing. The right mindset increases the ceiling.
But it is still key. And I want to share with you a way of thinking I use in both work and in sport. I will often use this when I am stuck on a problem or feeling a quitter’s mindset coming on. For I had that a bit on Friday. More on that after I explain the mindset switch.
It is really quite simple. The mindset I am talking about uses these same three words:
1. How
2. Can
3. I
But the order using them when thinking over a problem can change the perspective massively. Well it does for me. This may not work for you and that is super cool.
Here’s how I apply it. Oftentimes when a problem arises, and we will use work and sport as the main arenas of challenge, we start with a ‘how can I…’ type question. Like ‘how can I do this?’ or ‘how can get up there? …run that far? …make this work? …tell this story? …influence those leaders?”
You could probably add near infinite numbers of examples between you. I find when I start with this thinking it positions the challenge as a problem. I see it in projects for example where many of them start with what is the problem statement. I liken flipping how can I to how I can as looking at the challenge as a chance to shine and overcome. An opportunity if you like.
If I think with ‘how I can…’ my mindset becomes solution focused as opposed to the defensive mindset how can I puts me in. Instead of ‘how can I do this…?’ I am thinking ‘how I can do this…’ or ‘how I can get up there is…’ or ‘how I can make this work is….’
The a-ha moment I had on this was not a view to a kill, or that the sun always shines on me [enough with the music nonsense] it was in realising the the flip from how can I to how I can removed one simple thing: that was the former ended with a question mark – how can I…? – whereas the latter ended with a possibility – how I can…!
I hope this makes sense and it is of some use to you.
I used this on my long run on Friday. A 4:45am start for a 52k run. I had a 0900 meeting to be back for. At around 16k in my left ankle felt sore. The kind of pain that feels like you need to crack the ankle as it was lacking flex and movement. Every step was a dull thud. The loop I was running took me into Glasgow and back along the canal to home.
Glasgow presented a plethora of opportunities to switch into the quitter’s mindset as there are trains literally to my front for from there. ‘How can I keep running with this issue?’ was the message my brain was sending me. Tempting me to grab a coffee and get a train.
I didn’t want to stop the run. I was on track for the first 90 mile+ back to back weeks of the year and it was an important milestone for me mentally. Having that goal and determination helped me want to get a shuffle on.
So I asked myself ‘how can I complete this run without hurting myself and feeling good about it?’
I realised that a few things were at play. I was low on energy as I hadn’t taken on enough fuel. So I ate. Secondly, my shoe felt tight. So I stopped and retied my lace. Thirdly, that feeling of needing to crack the ankle? I stretched it out when I had my shoe off. And lastly, I popped the headphones in and stuck some 1990s indie music to totally distract me.
I then set off again but at a slower pace. Taking some of the strain off my foot and ankle. A few miles later I’d forgotten all about it. I went from potentially stopping early on a long run and all the training loss and mental fuzz that brings, to feeling like I won the day and buoyed by my mentally, physical gains and the fact that I got to Hot Hot Heat’s Bandages for the first time in like 20 years.
Not a bad day out. And after the stretching and pace management the pain lessened to the point where my last 10k was the fastest 10k stretch of the run. Funny how the mind works isn’t it. And how we (& I) can manage it to reach higher potential.
James Stewart 