We Are Capable of So Much More

There is a story that has been circulating the internet as of late. The plausibility of the story may be questioned, but the lesson of the story is strong, and one that most people need to hear.

It goes like this: a man (call him Jim) was in a bit of a rut when it came to his physical training. In order to give himself a much-needed boost he hired a trainer, who happened to be an ex-Navy SEAL. On the very first day of working together the SEAL asks Jim to do a simple task: “Do as many chin-ups as you can.” Jim walks over to the bar, grabs hold, and pumps out 8 clean chin-ups. The seal turns to him and says, “Take 30 seconds, you’re going to do that again.” Jim’s up to the task, grabs the bar again and struggles to get 5 this time. The seal turns to him again and says the same thing: “Take 30 seconds, you’re going to do that again.” Still up to the challenge, Jim walks up to the bar and just barely gets two. Now the real workout begins – one final time the seal turns to Jim and says, “Before you leave today you have to give me 100 more”. Jim later writes in his story that slowly, one a a time, he completes all 100.

The lesson is simple – we are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for.

The lesson is simple – we are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for. How are humans capable of doing way more chin-ups than they think they can do? Or running for 100 miles straight? Or biking for 21 days through gnarly terrain in France? Or scaling mountain peaks previously thought untouchable? It goes well beyond the physical. It’s mental grit and fortitude.

In Jim’s training, the seal shares with him a technique that is used in the training of Navy SEALs. He refers to it as the 40% rule. When your mind is telling you to quit, when you’ve had enough, you’ve only tapped into about 40% of what you are capable of. We are able to push ourselves so much further than what we tell ourselves internally.

The next time you’re out on a hike, run, cycle, or throwing around some weights in the gym, give pause: what’s telling me to stop? Can I go that extra kilometre? Can I push on to the summit? Can I get that last rep in? Growth of any nature is always outside and above the comfort zone.

Go beyond it.