“We were built to go uphill.”

Jordan Peterson said that in one of his interviews.

It got me thinking about the “long game” or “the infinite game” said by Simon Sinek.

Once I realized the power of working on my business and not just in it, the game changed. That gem’s from the “E-myth” by Michael E. Gerber.

It’s a different set of thinking.

This past week I’ve been facing new knowledge challenges. The kind of challenges that ask for future input. The future isn’t here yet though. Technically, it never is.

"If only I can fast forward work & time, and I'd have the result I seek, probably something better."

Naive thinking.

I wouldn't know what to do if it hit me because wouldn't know how to approach the possibility.

One thing that’s constant throughout the process is setting a pace.

It made me remember my goals from years ago. I was a designer at Lanmark360 and lived in Asbury Park. I wanted to work & learn from the cream of the design world and open up a design studio in Manhattan.

At the time, I believed this to be the pinnacle of my professional life. Without the experience of running my own business, a few things played out:

1. The more I longed for it, the more painful it was

2. The faster I went, the more misplaced expectations were set

3. The faster I went, the more I shot from the hip

4. I didn’t sharpen the ax enough

5. I knew how to do the work, and I didn’t know business

Note, lately I’ve been loving listing because usually ideas come rushing to my fingertips. Satisfying.

As I learned the lessons listed, I learned to replace what didn't work. Merely, stopping an unhelpful habit wasn't enough, I needed to correct course. It wasn’t a conscious decision, and I’m aware of BJ Fogg’s and James Clear’s amazing work. Funny enough, I’m only a newsletter and social media consumer. Ha, I feel there’s some resistance, I guess I need to.

Here’s the thing, reconditioning is part of the process.

An example is I’ve had a training plan the last 3 years which focuses on foundational work. Before I could add body-wide strength, I worked on joints, aches, tightness, numbness, cold hands and feet, and weak knees.

I got into foundation training because in 2013 I badly sprained both achilles moving into my first Manhattan apartment. I had a limp for over a year. No insurance. No PTO because I was freelance. Fell into depression. Lessons. Growth. The journey of pushing the stone up the hill began.

Another thing happened, my energy began to suffer with the speed.

I began to slow down.

I can work fast. Like really fast. I get a high from it.

The downfall is fast work doesn’t translate to a seamless process. Oftentimes, I’d have to redo work, but hey, no worries, I’m fast…

I’m good, no thanks.

The point I’m making is, I’ve played the energy exertion game, and it’ll get you. Injury, depression, numbing, or otherwise, it will get your attention.

Here’s what I considered with the next phase of my life:

1. Mobility

2. Strengthen

3. Endurance

4. Recovery

5. Variability

That’s my conditioning in a nutshell.

I’ll dive into it next week.