Keep learning…

This morning,we pushed, pulled, and planked our way through forty minutes of acute pain. We followed the not so nice, seconds timer and did what we were told. We worked. And, we failed. We failed early and often. The seconds timer kept asking us to do more toes up, up/downs, Jimgants, wipers, and we kept reaching without quite grabbing hold. In fact, as we became weaker, the timer demanded more. Good.

After the good work was behind us, I told the team they just tasted the first condition for flow. The first condition for flow is that the goal is clear. The seconds timer does not lie. The goal for the current iteration is right in front of your face and resonating in pure black and white. And, the second condition for flow is right there too. Either you do the work demanded of you or you fail. Pass or fail. The feedback is unmistakeable. When your body can’t produce the push ups demanded, tell yourself “fail.” You see, just like in video games, you level up the fastest when you fail frequently. The more you fail, the more you learn. The aim is to keep learning, friend, if you want to level up.

Keep learning.

Get clear on your aim. Embrace the fail. Find the flow that comes from pushing yourself to the edge of your challenge zone. Turn the frequent fails into fun – the joy of reaching toward something you want with all your worth. You, friend, are not a failure just because you are failing in the moment. You are learning how to win the long game. Keep working. Keep reaching. Remember a word from Epictetus – “It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.” Keep learning!

Flow is coming. Good…