What am I even talking about?
I’m not going to make this a Hey, I was gettin’ swole at the gym when… type post, but this did happen at the gym.
I’ve started going back to a CrossFit box I used to go to back in the day, and I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s a great way to disconnect for an hour and just beat myself up to better myself. Since we’ve had our daughter, I’ve also taken the mindset that I’ll need to be around for her for quite some time, so I better get back into some type of physical health.
Here’s where my thoughts came in today.
Coaches and the Coach’s Mindset
As part of my job, I coach people on improving processes and practices. That means helping them figure out what they’re doing, what’s working, what isn’t, and how to push themselves to do better.
The thing is, this isn’t just about work—it applies everywhere.
At the gym today, I was working through scaling down a workout. Nothing fancy, just doing a few less reps and rounds. Coach came by to discuss my plan with me and suggested I do more.
Well, I didn’t.
I thought my plan would work at the limits I thought I had. I finished early, but with plenty of time left on the clock. I did an extra round, just to keep doing something while everyone else was still killing it.
I left that money on the table.
Selling Yourself Short
Here’s the kicker: I didn’t even realize I was selling myself short. I thought I was hitting my limit, but I wasn’t even close. It took someone else calling me out to make me see it.
How often do we do that? In work, in life, whatever—we just assume we’ve done enough or that we can’t do more without even testing the waters. It’s easier to stay comfortable, to stick with what you know you can do.
But if you’re not willing to push a little further, you’re leaving money on the table.
A New Baseline
Breaking through my “new” limit wasn’t just about breaking a record. I’m coming back into the gym after two-plus years. I know I’m not going to be totally killing it. It was about realizing I’d set the bar too low for myself. Now I know better.
This is the same thing I see all the time in my work, in my life, in myself. People underestimate themselves, their teams, or what they can handle. Sometimes they just need a nudge to step up. Other times, they need someone to call them out. Either way, you’ve got to know where you stand so you can figure out where to go next.
Stop selling yourself short. Stop leaving money on the table.
Just thought I’d share.
All the best.
- Jeff
Note: This is my first post on an iPad, so I don’t have the development view to go off of first. This is also a great time to test how this works if I have to take this iPad with me on travel. Let’s see how it goes!
Note 2: So my “subscription” to Working Copy (great program btw) is no longer active, for some reason, and I can’t push this commit to the repo. So here I am at my desktop propping this up…