Get to the Starting Line #278

In our last +1, we talked about chasms and jumps and sidewalk cracks. I shared a couple of personal stories with my Spartan Races.

Today, let’s explore that a bit more.

Joe De Sena, the founder of Spartan Race, epic ultra-athlete, and author of Spartan Up! plus Spartan Fit, tells us that, BY FAR, the hardest part of doing a Spartan Race (or anything for that matter) is GETTING TO THE STARTING LINE!

Once you’re at the starting line it’s actually relatively easy. That’s definitely been my experience. Again: Chasm. Jump! Not as wide as you think.

The super tricky part? Getting to the starting line.

In a fun little Masterclass we did called Spartan Training 101 we talk about the fact that your #1 obstacle in an obstacle course race like a Spartan is the story you’re telling yourself about why you can’t do it.

As per Henry Ford: “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”

Then there’s Seneca: “It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that things are difficult.”

(That’s worth a re-read or 10.)

You think you can do something? You can. You really lean in and go for it? It’s often not that hard.

That sounds so cliché and I suppose it is on one hand. But, once we’ve tasted the truth of that statement it kinda changes your perspective.

So… Again…

What would you really like to do with your life? And, what little things would you like to do that you might be talking yourself out of?

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”

“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that things are difficult.”

“When you get to a chasm, JUMP! It’s not as wide as you think.”

In short: Get to the Starting Line.