Being present and stoicism
Sure, I will call myself a fanboy. LOL. No, I am currently quite impressed by the approach of Ryan Holiday and his topics as an author. It is clear he is in his prime and his messaging is very amenable to how I approach my journey of persistent improvement. I have read a large compliment of his works, and this tiktok snip encapsulates much of what I have been mulling over the last few weeks. Thank you for bringing it all together. This thought about being present is captured and demonstrated far better than I can currently express. I am striving as RH states to capture life in a similar way.
- Ryan Holiday books I have read include:
- Stillness is the Key
- Obstacle is the way
- Ego is the Enemy
- Courage is Calling
- The Daily Stoic – more podcast oriented but still
Sure, I am intersecting my hobby of triathlon, and one of those elements in the mind game. The health and mindset and discipline of where my head is at during training and an event is vital to my personal expression of my fitness. Surely, if I sign up for an event, that mindset is crucial. The conundrum I observe, many are not in the ‘moment’ when they make their race or event selections. I tend to choose to wait and sign up as late as possible, b/c in that moment I know best about how successful and prepared for the event I may be. Rather, then signing up after recently finishing an event – example Ironman – every time I complete the 70.3 Ironman at St. George. I feel like I can conquer the world. That’s how and when I signed up for the 140.6 at St. George that lead to my deferral and current approach to IM California on October 23, 2022.
I just wanted to share this for me as a bread crumb to come across and journal as a lesson learned. I don’t believe the past (lessons learned and evidence and experiment) are not valuable – instead I frame it to shape my future decisions in a way that is untethering and constraining. See this clip to demonstrate what I can’t express clearly:
I’ve really been listening to Eddie Pinero and a few other things by Ryan Holiday and David Goggins etc. Their expression aren’t like doctrine, but I can find gems of wisdom I can pair with my worldviews. I tend to treat the worldviews available as a buffet. I try to make the best selections possible. Often time they are not well perceived and some of the things I choose I may not like, or I may only like certain amounts of it, or just components of the offering. All that to say, i try not to limit my opportunities due to my selections, choices, lessons learned and actions. I am a faith-based guy but I also believe the following quote:
It doesn’t matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn’t matter how smart you are. If it doesn’t agree with experiment, it’s wrong.
Richard Feynman
This is why I love the intersection of my hobby of longer course endurance triathlons, my faith-based selections, stoicism, experiences of life and my journey with my spouse/partner and nuclear family. Boy dandy I am humbled at all my mistakes and lessons learned along the way. How I am grateful for the wisdom earned and the persistent and intrinsic/external motivators that keep me anchored to stay engaged in failing forward.
I guess as I come upon my birthday where I will turn 48. I am at a stage of life I only ever thought my parents and older people got to. I am still seeing the world through my eyes of a staunch, stubborn adolescent 16-18 year old. My body often contradicts my mind now. As I was in the pool last night, after a FTP oriented bike ride, where my 70 minute ride over 25 miles yielded a normalized power output of 200 watts I felt tired but grateful to be swimming and alive! Compared to others my power outputs may not be elite, or epic, but for me, it is growth. Since I first got access to power-based information, my normalized power has increased by approx. 40 watts. I guess what I am trying to remind myself of, is growth is a choice. It doesn’t age out. I observe many others that accept the age out concept. That is not me. Hopefully as I return back to journalized entries like this, I can be reminded and inspired that the efforts in a life long growth model are worth it.
This next clip I have previously shared but it embodies a lot of internal mindset journeys, conflicts, resolutions and open-ended questions I have encountered, am working through or hope to engage with in my iterative approach to growth mindset.
Father’s Day – A few things about my Dad
Father’s day is coming up this weekend, and I would be remiss to not state I am grateful to my biological Father. His name is Chuck/Charles/Charlie/Da/pops/dude! He isn’t perfect, but that isn’t the point. The point is he instilled in me a few mentionable things:
- He provided for me
- He dared me to grow
- He taught me that opportunity provided by him can only go so far, I have to take the reigns eventually
- He taught me at different stages of life His influence will mean different things
- He taught me that even if he was incorrect, he would generally love and accept me as I become me
- He allowed me to be me
- He has and is warrioring through Multiple Sclerosis
- He pushed me to push my own envelopes – some of those he struggles to accept or acknowledge but he generally tolerates and see the opportunity of growth associated with my journey
- He’s become my dad and friend
So thanks Dad, and here’s to many more years and interactions that will hopefully allow us to become as Maya Angelou hoped for:
I hope that as I encounter more opportunities to engage in growing empathy. It is my hope that I am courageous enough to share my courage and move needles. First for me, and then who knows the impact – myself, then spouse, then family and maybe beyond into my other notable circles of influence.
Yes, now is often ENOUGH! I appreciate the now. I am grateful for near future and long term opportunities. I am ever aware of the importance of shaping myself to be resilient and present for my wife, my family and perhaps more. Regardless of the weight or the load, when qualified, I am grateful to lift where I stand. And lastly, to those rubbing or sharing shoulders and the load at times when they intersect with me. The privilege I have had to engage, interact with and befriend some great giant hearts, minds, thinkers and doers! What a privilege and how grateful I am!!!
Happy Father’s Day!
