Unleashing our limits

The Benefits of Challenging Yourself in sports has a direct impact on your life and business.

Five years ago, I was reading a local newspaper and it brought my attention a new open water swimming event in El Hierro, www.elhierro.es being the longest course 18k.

My reaction then was “these guys are nuts”, “don’t they have a better thing to do in life?!” As an average, it takes 7 hours nonstop swimming.

But as a seeker of new personal challenges, I signed in 2015 and completed the 6.5k course, which was a huge challenge for me, i.e. currents, waves, wind, plus a distance challenging enough for a below 2k regular swimmer.

The rush of completing the course was huge, it certainly pumps adrenaline through your veins and revitalises your mind.

And then, now what? Shall I repeat the same distance next year or go for a longer course? The answer came while I was doing weights at the gym. While I was having a laugh with a friend, suddenly I realised that I was lifting 30% more of my set of maximum weights.

My mind was distracted and not pre-conditioned and this got me thinking how many times, for multiple different reasons, we limit ourselves in many aspects in life.

So, I spent the whole weekend debating where I should sign for the 12k course or be conservative and repeat the 6,5k. Once I made the decision to go for the 12k, I noted that this distance was not available any longer.

Going for the 18K was a whole different ball game, but it was a personal and private challenge that I didn’t share with anyone then, as I didn′t need any external pressure or factoring in any self-pride that could affect my safety. I needed to have a clear mind in the Big Blue, the Ocean, and opting out while you are swimming is a delicate balance.

Open water swimming can be a risky business, you can sink within seconds if you faint or have a serious cramp, it is very likely no one may see you. You need to assess constantly your body, being able to challenge yourself but only up to a level where you keep control.

Over 25% of the swimmers each year do not complete this challenge, some of them expert swimmers.

That is why I want to share with you how you can apply on a day-to-day basis the following lessons learned through this challenging experience when running a business:

1.- Vision the course - Motivation

You need to have a clear and realistic vision of what you want to achieve and the motivation that drives you.

By visioning in advance all the potential pitfalls that you may encounter, either in business or in a sport challenge, you will have a much better mind-set to deal effectively with them whenever they happen.

Using sophrology techniques, a healthcare philosophy made of very practical physical and mental exercises aiming at a prepared mind in a focused body, will help you to manage stress and to improve confidence and concentration.

2.- Manage your energy levels.

Your energy and time are finite; you need to channel the right level of energy at the right time.

Do not burn out either your energy levels or your cash to launch or run your company.

When you face head current or large waves, you simply can not burn out all your energy, as you still need have many kilometres and other potential unknown challenges in front of you. Try to be efficient and adapt your brace, hydrate and eat correctly at the refuelling posts.

This also applies when you have a complex project or demanding business. Be efficient, avoid multitasking, recharge properly your body and mind with sleep and healthy food.

3.- Focus on the moment while you keep an eye on the horizon, at the finishing line.

While you are swimming, you must keep an eye on different factors:

The inner circle: your stamina levels, adapt your stroke style to the waves and manage different levels of motivation during the course.

Proximity circle: jellyfish and other living creatures in the ocean, waves, ocean currents and other swimmers.

Long range planning: refuelling your body at the different posts, maintaining the swimming course in adverse situations, possible cramps, seasick, etc.

Either in sports or in business, you need to observe and analyse constantly all the parameters of the game, to maximize your chances to reach your goals.

When things get tough or your mind starts to doubt, focus on each one of your strokes, refocus on the immediate action.

4.- Become more efficient in everything you do:

Implement Kaizen in your life, the Japanese concept of constant improvement.

Every swimming stroke that is not done efficiently, it is wasted energy and longer time in the water, decreasing your options for success. Likewise, in business.

Stay focus on what you are doing. Avoid unnecessary meetings, travelling or tasks. When doing this you are sending the right message to yourself, but also to others.

5.- You are on your own, deal with it.

While we are social creatures and there is a sense of brotherhood among swimming participants, likewise among entrepreneurs, you will go through moments that you will be entirely on your own facing difficult decisions and challenges, that not one can do for you.

The sooner you embrace this fact, the sooner you will become mentally stronger, more resilient, less dependent.

6.- Expect the unexpected.

This swimming event is named the Calm Sea Crossing and it is famous for that, but this time was not the case. The Sea just got rougher every kilometre I swam.

You try to control multiple factors; jelly fish, shark whales, head currents, waves, seasick, etc. what was I doing here? Sprigged up in my head.

Leverage on your motivation, manage the moment, keep your vision, and administrate your energy levels.

In business as in swimming, I often see people starting a project with great enthusiasm, but most of them fail to maintain the energy levels and concentration on long rung, especially when it gets tougher and things do not go according to plan.

I always see swimming colleagues giving up near the finish line, when the sea was at its bravest; it seemed like a washing machine in the last kilometres, as I have seen in business.

The finishing line was so close, but they gave up mentally.

7.- It is never the perfect timing for most things in life.

Each year I find a bag full of excuses.

It always pays off to leave your comfort zone, once you overcome the initial friction it recompenses you with the motion dynamics; you are willing to take on your next challenge with your energy levels reinforced by your recent achievements.

8-. Enjoy every challenge in life.

Reward yourself when you achieve your goals.

Without considering the head current, each year I ended up doing + 22k monitored by GPS, and because of the waves, you could not follow the optimal route either, you could be too close to the shore.

During my last strokes inside the finish harbour, I always shed tears of emotion, I made it, I felt plethoric. That is way I always go back.

This sense of personal achievement boosted my confidence in taking on new challenges in different aspects of like.

So far, I have completed the 18K course three times.

A good friend asked me why do I do this?

My reply is that I feel more alive! What a great feeling!