I’ve been continuing to think about how we’re turning to extreme athleticism in midlife. The trend seems to be more about “getting better at getting older,” rather than a response to some fabled crisis — and that’s a good thing.
So it stands to reason that if endurance activities can help us develop greater perseverance in the rest of our pursuits, there should be other lessons for our overall personal growth.
One thing I’ve keyed in on from my time on challenging hikes is the futility of complaining. While I’ve developed fairly strong resiliency over the last 20 years as an entrepreneur, I certainly like to bitch and moan in the process.
When I’m facing a steep incline up a trail, however, it’s completely apparent to me that complaining is a waste of time. Instead, the voice in my head jumps straight to reality, with just the right amount of resignation:
The mountain doesn’t care how you feel.
The truth of that statement also becomes pretty clear in a broader sense. The world … no, the universe doesn’t care how I feel, either.
Tony Clark is the COO of the company I head up, and his job over the last decade has too often involved listening to me vent about some situation or another. Tony knows better than to try to solve the problem; he just listens to me rant until I finally decide to do what I knew needed to be done before I started.
Along those lines, there’s an article over at Fast Company that details how an entrepreneur learned valuable lessons from a frustrating rejection. This passage got a knowing laugh:
I felt crushed, demoralized, and everything in between. Naturally, I wallowed in my self-pity for a few minutes as my wife (also an entrepreneur) listened patiently. When I finished, she asked me, “Okay. What’s next?”
What’s next, indeed. The answer is the same in business as it is on the trail.
It’s the next step forward; the next action that needs to be done. You often already know what it is.
Sometimes the next step sucks, but you still have to do it. Might as well get on with it and spare everyone — including yourself — the complaining.
The mountain doesn’t care how you feel.
Nobody cares. Let’s get back to work.
Keep going-
further: gear
Have you checked out the all new collection of Further t-shirts and hoodies? Comfortable and well-constructed clothing that helps you keep going and rise above — see all the styles here.
further: top ten
Burning Sensation
I just had to know the answer based on the question posed by this headline. Turns out the exercise that burns the most calories sounds so painfully awful that it almost made me want to take up running (which is a more sane way to burn a lot of calories). Note I said almost.
Which Exercise Burns the Most Calories?
Inflammation Society
A new study finds that adhering to an anti-inflammatory diet is associated with lower risks of dying from any cause, cardiovascular causes, and cancer. “Pro-inflammatory” foods to avoid include unprocessed and processed red meat, organ meats, chips, and soft drinks.
Anti-Inflammatory Diet Linked to Reduced Risk of Early Death
Booze Clues
It wasn’t long ago that the court of public opinion held that a nice glass of pinot noir with dinner wasn’t just okay, it was actively good for you. Yet it seems like opinion is shifting, and even moderate drinking is unhealthy. What happened?
Remember When a Glass of Wine a Day was Good for You? Here’s Why that Changed.
Escape the Matrix
A month off the grid proved to be liberating and revitalizing, but it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can refresh, reconnect, and tune in to yourself every day simply by “unplugging” in other small ways. Here are some ideas how on how to do it.
What Spending Time In Nicaragua Taught Me About The Right Way To Use Technology
Zen and the Art of Money Management
Personal finance as a spiritual practice? Sounds like a mismatch, but often it takes contemplating meaning beyond ourselves in order to both develop discipline and have a reason to build a financial foundation.
Finding Spiritual Meaning in Good Personal Finance Practices
Grouching Things Done
New research found that being in a bad mood can help some people’s executive functioning, such as their ability to focus attention, manage time and prioritize tasks. The same study found that a good mood has a negative effect on it in some cases.
A Bad Mood May Help Your Brain With Everyday Tasks
Time Is on My Side
Research tells us we generally get happier as we get older. Many people also become more emotionally stable, more agreeable, and more conscientious, new research finds.
The Incredible Ways Time Will Change Your Personality
Field and Stream of Consciousness
A fundamental part of conscious experience is “inner speech” — the experience of verbal thought, expressed in one’s “inner voice.” Your inner voice is you. Through new methods of experimentation in the last few decades, the nature of inner speech is finally being revealed.
Our Inner Narrator Gives Us Continuity and a Sense of Self
This Is Your Life
Objectively, the world is better than ever. The problem is, life is by definition a subjective experience.
I Know Kung Fu
As neuroscience evolves, and technology alongside it, both invasive and noninvasive techniques will be used to view the brain, treat illness, and even enhance cognition. One effort in bridging neuroscience and technology is with a brain-computer interface — computer technology that interacts with the brain and neural structures to decode neural activity into physical movement.
Connected: The Fascinating Future of Brain-Computer Interfaces
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