David 'The World's Hardest Man' Goggins
Wim 'The Iceman' Hof
Lex 'Captain Discomfort' Fridman
MrBeast 'Dr YouTube'
\Byron 'Lady Work' Katie
Each of these individuals seems a Superhuman possessing an astounding Superpower. But under the microscope, they represent proof that with hard work, commitment, and resilience, much is possible, even things assumed to be impossible.
The Navy SEALs have a saying: “When you're under pressure, you don't rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training.”
Then, there's the 40% rule: "When your mind is telling you that you're done, that you're exhausted, that you cannot possibly go any further, you're only actually 40% done. The human mind is an amazing thing. It both propels us forward and holds us back.”
Combine the two and the math becomes clear. None of the mentioned individuals is a homo sapiens outlier, nor is their ability a flash in the pan. The stories you read about them today are the result of a plan, of dedication to that plan, of focus on what needs to be done to achieve the results of the plan, and of sticking to the plan day in and day out for many, many, many days, weeks, months, and years. There's no magic pill that switches on your Superpower. But never doubt, because superpowers reside within you, screaming to be released. Are you ready to do the work required to understand and even live your potential?
Full disclosure, I am not fully aware yet of what my superpower is. But as I alluded to in the previous newsletter, my daily life is a patchwork of parts of the plans of the Superheroes mentioned above, and many others. And by implementing bits of their daily practices, I discover that I have quite a range of Superpowers-lite! For example:
- I experience the same dread David Goggins has when seeing his running shoes in the morning, often delaying putting them on with a series of convoluted excuses till he forces himself to get his shoes on and runs. And every day, like David, I get into my shoes and raise my heart rate.
- After doing it daily for three years now, I still feel utter dread (as Wim Hof says he does too) each time I step into the shower. The seconds, sometimes minutes, before I turn on the shower at the coldest setting are probably the scariest moment of each day. And yet, I eventually turn on that faucet to unleash an icy liquid hell. Every day.
These negative moments are fascinating because each (and a few others that form my daily Superpower Discover Plan) demonstrates a Superpower. Regardless of whether it's a Superpower-lite or a Superpower-heavy, the feeling I get from facing and then completing each labour demonstrates to me a Superpower in me. And the feeling that swells up inside each time I do so is awesome!
When I step out of the shower in the morning, the day's only just begun and I've already notched a major victory that will forever appear on that day's page of my life history. Now imagine filling each day with a bunch of such victories! Each day's page will be a testament to internal battles fought and won, battles that keep you on the path of victory and to greater spoils. Some days will have more battles won than others. Some days might even have no battles won at all. But there's always another day and another page to fill with your victories.
American civil rights activist and leader James Farmer Jr. said, “We do what we have to so we can do what we want to.”
I believe when we do anything uncomfortable, difficult, or challenging, knowing the reward comes later (sometimes much later), we are practising the wisdom of Mr Farmer.
Have you done that? Are you doing that? Then dear homo sapiens, your Superpower is on display.
Which makes you a Superhuman!
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