You guys, it’s possible I can jump farther than I am tall!
I’m only 5’2″, so it’s really not that far, but I’m excited! I can make it from one end of the turf to the other at Ethos, Coach Mason and I estimate 30 feet, in about 5 jumps. Next week I will find a tape measure–OH that will be fun! I’ll see how far I can actually jump, and then have something to maybe work on in the coming year!
This block we are training deadlift again, and next week I will try for 200# x 4 on the trap bar. Friend Jerry the musician/filmmaker/NGO fundraiser and all around lovely human has been my workout buddy these last two weeks and we plan to achieve this goal together!
One movement I may stop pushing for a while is the back squat. My knees tell me they don’t want to lift more than my body weight from a very low position, and I’m okay with that. Glad they’re voicing their opposition. I am confident my coaches and I can find a modification that allows me to continue progressing and also prevent injury.
Simon Sinek wrote in Start With Why, “When you compete against everyone else, no one wants to help you. But when you compete against yourself, everyone wants to help you.” YES! His book The Infinite Game came to mind today as I considered my broad jump–how much better could I still get at this age? How much longer can I keep jumping like this? In finite games the goal is to win and end the game. Infinite games by definition never end; there is no ‘winner’. I’ve written about the book before as its tenets apply to organizations and leadership. But the idea of ‘staying in the game of life’ hit me today. He briefly discusses health practices such as diet and exercise in both SWW and TIG, using them as examples of actions (leading indicators) that stem from a commitment (our [just] cause) and reliably move us toward our ultimate goals.
So what is the goal, the objective, in the game of life or any infinite game, he asks? It is to stay in the game and keep playing as long as possible. To me this means maintaining and optimizing self-efficacy, autonomy, and vitality. It means fueling, training, resting, connecting, and thriving in a way that is stable, strong, flexible, agile, and resilient for as long as we can, with a mindset of allostasis (see Brad Stulberg’s books Master of Change and The Way of Excellence below).
Sinek’s book doesn’t discuss The Infinite Game in terms of individual health or longevity, but I think the concept still applies. What do we need to stay healthy and thrive with age?
Can we translate this mindset from business to health? My health is a just cause when it’s not only for my own sake. I will be the best mom, doctor, daughter, spouse, and friend if I am well, body, mind, and spirit. I do it to maximize my contribution in this lifetime. It doesn’t matter how far anyone else jumps, or how much anyone else lifts. That’s none of my business. I just want to show up and be my best self as often as possible. I need to recognize real limitations when they occur and pivot when necessary, navigating ever forward, open always to novel paths. And when my friends want to do the same, I’m right there on their sidelines, cheering loud and proud for them, just as they do for me.
I’m also reminded of Brad Stulberg’s excellent work, which he shares generously on Instagram:
Focus on effort and cultivate curiosity. Get good help when we need it. Adapt to changing conditions, strive healthily and reasonably. I confess I have not yet listened to The Way of Excellence, but I feel confident recommending it because I know Brad’s work and he engages his audience with grace, humility, and generosity. Maybe I will finally listen this month, in time to dedicate an entire post to it!
I just love when concepts from multiple sources intersect and integrate, inflluencing and validating my own lived experience, encouraging me to keep looking, thinking, wondering, asking, and sharing.
How are you competing with yourself, striving to make healthy progress in meaningful ways to you? What concepts, practices, and people hold you up along the way?
What infinite games do you play?
