10 lessons I’ve learned from 20 years in triathlon, which apply to life in general…

In no particular order-

1.??? Consistency is key – there are no shortcuts, no magic workouts, no earth-shattering improvements. Improvement is a steady journey that needs consistent application. Like the post-Christmas gym boom, many people will give up before putting in the necessary effort. We expect linear improvement, but improvement can be imperceptible in the short term and might even be negative in the early stages.

2.??? Reframe “sacrifices” as “choices”. Cutting down on junk food or alcohol isn’t a sacrifice, it’s a decision to embrace more life-enhancing choices instead.

3.??? Don’t shirk the hard options. Oftentimes your choices will not be easy, but that can make them even more valuable. The satisfaction of completing a hard task is way more than doing something easy. Resilience is a trait that can be trained.

4.??? Sweat the small stuff. Details matter. You can spend thousands on a bike, but if the setup is wrong you’re not getting the full benefit of it. 30 watts saved by being more aero is just free speed. It takes a lot of effort to get 30 watts fitter.

5.??? Have a plan. If improvement is a steady progression, then you’ll need to put systems in place to achieve your goals. As James Clear states in the best seller Atomic Habits- goals are good for setting a direction but systems are best for making progress.

6.??? Enjoy the process. The race is just the end of the process. The joy of finishing is a celebration of consistently working through your systems. Skills learnt, fitness improvements, friendships made, places visited all surpass your finishing position. Why do so many successful businesspeople start working again after selling their businesses instead of chilling on a beach? - Simple, they enjoyed the process of creating something.

7.??? Be accountable to others. If you communicate your goals you can bring other people along on your journey. If you explain that you don’t want to stay late in the pub because you have to get up to train for an event people may be less likely to think you are just being unfriendly, for example. Be prepared for some cynicism though- your actions may make someone feel insecure about their own inactions.

8.??? Be accountable to yourself. Many people confuse motivation with commitment. You don’t have to be motivated all the time. You might not be super motivated to go running in the rain on a dark cold evening, but you do need to be committed to implementing your intention to run x times per week.

9.??? Don’t underestimate the power of social. I don’t mean incessantly posting pictures on social media of selfies with a scenic background but exploit the power of community to create an environment of improvement and recognition. It is so much easier to do something when we know other people are relying on us to do it. Human beings have always been social learning animals. We make much better progress as a team rather than in isolation.

10.? Seek expertise when needed. Don’t struggle alone when there are people who can help. Removing obstacles to completing a task makes it much easier to engage with it and get it done. Everybody is different and generic advice off the internet doesn’t necessarily apply to everyone.