Changes, Challenges, Growth

“If nothing changes then nothing changes.”

This saying has popped up a couple times over the past week for me, so I’ve been thinking a lot about it.

Changes, challenges, pushing comfort zones, and growth. I’ve written a lot about this stuff and will continue to talk a lot about it. If nothing changes then nothing changes, it’s as simple as that.

So I did something drastic this week, as one does to prove a point to himself and to initiate a needed change for some needed change. Excuses have been mounting for me lately, so I needed something different. Here is what I learned doing 50 burpees per day for an entire week.

Let me preface this a bit first, I dislike burpees....no that’s not true, I absolutely despise burpees and the individual that came up with it. I don’t do burpees, ever. They’re awful; pain, loss of breath, struggle, more pain....the worst in workouts in my opinion. Every other time I’ve done them I’ve not touched them again for a long time. I did something different this week by doing 50 burpees every day, I also did no other workout aside from 350 burpees stretched over 7 days.

Not surprisingly, I actual grew in that 10 minutes of exercise everyday and they actually got easier by the end of the week. Arm, chest, and upper back definition, the spots I don’t hit when running, stairs, or sprint training.

There are a few very important factors that got me through this as a busy dad, with family visiting, and someone who dislikes the workout. 

I leaned on a Community. I’ll write more on the importance of community in another upcoming post as this was also a big piece in getting me through training for and accomplishing a marathon. You can do it alone but it’s much tougher, often close to impossible. I’m part of a few online fitness communities, people who push through their own achievements but also encourage you to complete your own. Doing 50 on Monday was the challenge this week in one, I took it to the next level as I wanted out of my comfort zone, needed something that would give me a growth exercise in a short period of time and in very little space. Having a community gives you people you feel you owe it to. You’ve committed something. You also get to hear about their success and want some yourself, and all of you go through the day in and day out struggles together.  I simply needed to find a community of people doing great things, then emulate them. 

Secondly, I found Time. None of us have time, unless we find it. After work consisted of; prep dinner, 20 burpees, cook dinner, 20 burpees, prep lunches for the next day, 10 burpees. And done. I know I don’t need to commit an hour or even a half hour, time exists throughout my day that can be used in the most productive manner. I simply need to find the time. Trust me, if you hunt for it you’ll find the time.

Lastly, that mental drive that nothing is impossible and only I control the limitations set on myself. Sounds easy enough but it takes a lot of practice. I often fail at this step, as nothing in life is perfect but constant reminders can keep you travelling down that track.

For the marathon I did precisely these steps; in following communities of runners achieving feats I could only dream of, finding the time within my day to strengthen my ability to run long distance, and mental strength and resilience practice, practice, practice. 

You often can’t did it alone, most times you can’t do it alone. Find people doing things you could only dream of, then follow along as their success turns into your goals and targets. Following along is up to you.

You have the time, you just need to find it. Nobody else will find the time for you, that’s up to you.

You have the drive to do that one more km, 10 more burpees, another lap. Nobody can help you find that next level, you have to find it within you.

If nothing changes, then nothing changes. Want to change how you feel, you need to change what you’re doing.

DadBud