Sunday, November 17, 2013

Digging Deep

'Digging deep' is a term used by endurance athletes to signify a time to tap on one's potential, resources and character. Twice-Ironman world champion, Chris 'Macca' McCormack calls it 'embrace the suck'. When it sucks the most, you keep going. You grind your teeth, stick to your guns, suffer, and as multiple-Ironman winner, Belinda Granger said: 'Be prepared to suffer, and suffer even more!'

You dig deep when you want something badly enough. Artists believe that suffering for your art is part of the journey towards personal excellence. The Masters in art, music and acting suffered and tapped on their deepest emotions and resources to achieve their art. To achieve mastery, you must be willing to make sacrifices, explore your fear, overcome your anxieties, and stretch yourself. Digging deep involves a certain degree of discomfort and pain, yet it is essential to discovery more of your potential, capability and capacity. In wanting to achieve your physical best, you must be prepared to train longer and harder, and race even harder. Surely, there is a risk of failure from fatigue or injury, yet these are the odds we deal with constantly. The benefit-to-risk ratio is a mathematical measure of our decisions. Kurt Lewin explained that in his Force Field Analysis approach to making decisions. We have to weigh the pros and cons, advantages with disadvantages.

Leadership Lessons: When was the last time you dug deep? What is one of your most important things in your life you would like to achieve, and how much will you put in to accomplish it? How much are you willing to suffer for your profession, passion or vocation?


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

http://www.daghewardmills.org/shop/products/The-Art-of-Leadership-%252d-2nd-Edition-%28Bestseller-3%29.html