05 Jun A Brief Guide to Disproving Human Limits
“If we don’t push you to your mental and physical edge, then we have failed you.” – Goruck Challenge Cadre, June 2nd, 2012, 9:15 pm, on a cold and windy San Francisco night
The Testing (and Disproving) of Limits
The people who do work that matters, the Living Legends who impact the world, all have at least one trait in common.
They push limits.
And it’s not some chore they force themselves to do every once in a while just to get where they want to go. Not even close.
It’s something they do daily, in one way or another, big or small.
It’s a fundamental part of how they operate.
Last Saturday night around 9 pm I found myself standing in a dark wet field in San Francisco’s Presidio. The air temperature was just under 50 degrees (before factoring in the 30-40 mph wind and blanket of myst typical of my lovely hometown).
I was wearing a headlamp and a 47-pound backpack. Seven close friends were standing next to me, along with a couple LYL readers (who heard about the event through my Richard Branson fitness post). There were also about 80 more of us I’d yet to meet.
Then, as if on queue, the sprinklers came on. The timing could not have been worse (or better, depending on who you asked)…
We spent the next twelve hours getting a first class education in breaking boundaries, from our Special Forces instructor (or Cadre, as they were called). The adventure took our team across most of San Francisco, covering between 15 and 20 miles by running, hiking, crawling and even duck walking (no, I did not know what that was either – until last weekend). We even got the pleasure of doing a few sets of sunrise pushups in the crisp breaking shoreline.
Important Note: frigid salt water + sand + miles of running, do not make for the most pleasant of combinations.
This was the Goruck Challenge.
And we had all paid good money to be there.
I’d love to give more details, but I’d hate to ruin the surprise for those of you who decide to take part (upcoming event schedule can be found here ;)).
Why go through the pain?
It’s easy to hear about such an event and think “why the hell would anyone sign up, let alone pay to do it?” It’s the obvious question, and most my family and friends asked the same. In fact at about 4am, as I reverse bear crawled up Lombard Street, I found myself thinking similar thoughts.
But you could ask this of any endeavor actually worth doing:
- Loving someone
- Starting a business
- Pursuing a passion
- Running a marathon
- Losing 60 pounds
The biggest rewards will always involve pain to get there. The people who avoid the pain also manage to avoid the feelings and experiences that bridge the gap between average and extraordinary.
Those of you who’ve been a part of the Live Your Legend community know that at least a couple times a year, I like to go out and do something impossible: Pick something I’ve never done and take a crack at it. In the past this has included running marathons and ultra-marathons, summiting mountains and swimming across the SF bay with a group of 12-year-olds.
This is also why last year Live Your Legend partnered with the youth charity impossible2Possible.
So far, I’m pretty sure Goruck tops the charts.
But all these events come back to a simple fact:
When you do things you’ve never done before, your psychology changes.
And with a different state of mind, your world gets redesigned.
And you don’t even have to try – as long as you’re always pushing and testing, the change happens on its own.
Here’s an easy way to get started.
The simple process for disproving human limits:
1. Pick something you’ve never done. It doesn’t matter what it is you decide to take on – the above are just examples from a guy who loves intense physical adventure. But it could be giving a speech, leading a group, writing an article or asking someone out on a date.
The key is doing things you used to tell yourself (consciously or subconsciously) that you couldn’t do – Anything you’ve always said you ‘wanted’ to do but always seemed to find a ‘reason’ why it didn’t make sense. That’s often our silent way of justifying inaction.
In fact, anything new will suffice.
2. Do it with someone. Everything is more fun to do with others. It’s also a lot more likely to happen. Last weekend would have been altogether miserable if I wasn’t sharing the experience with seven good friends.
The same goes for training and preparation. I have my good buddies Leo Babauta and Uri Fridman to thank for turning me onto Goruck. Leo and I do a lot of training together and he knows how much I love fitness challenges. In fact I ended up being a guest contributor for the fitness challenge/limit testing portion of a new Simple Fitness Habits course he’ll be launching in the next month or so. It was a ton of fun! I’ll be sure to let you guys know when it’s out.
As always, having the right people in your corner is everything.
3. Find motivation. Find a compelling reason why it’s important that you actually see this through. What benefits might accomplishing it allow you? What pain will result if you stay where you are?
4. Get moving. The most importnat ingredient is making progress. Pick a date or an event. And make small steps toward that every day. The momentum will build faster than you realize.
If you’re ever in doubt, make some progress, no matter how small.
All of us have physical and mental abilities far outside of what we’ll ever get to experience.
It’s crazy how much more capable people are than they give themselves credit for. I don’t care how hard you try, you can usually take at least one more step.
Most limits, when the right focus and intensity is applied, simply turn into milestones.
Think about yours, be it physical, mental, business or whatever. At some point in life, most meaningful accomplishments seemed undoable…Right up until you did them.
Everything’s impossible until someone decides to disprove it.
But limits never change if you don’t test them.
After 12 hours of grueling adventure and exercise, suddenly a massive presentation doesn’t seem like such a big deal (you can tell I’ve been thinking about the How to Connect with Anyone talk I’m giving at the Wold Domination Summit next month ;)).
A tough day at work, loses some of its sting.
A failed sale or hard rejection no longer hits you like a punch to the gut.
Knowing what your body and mind are capable of, puts things into an unbelievably powerful perspective.
And perspective is everything.
How often do you test limits?
When was the last time you did something that proved a past assumption wrong?
This mentality is not optional. You cannot Live Your Legend without it. In fact, it’s one of The 17 Habits of People Who Change the World.
The more we attempt, the more we accomplish.
The more we accomplish, the more we attempt.
Confidence built in one area of our life, immediately transfers to another.
Most edges are a state of mind.
With every new experience, they expand.
Without the experiences, life contracts.
Skipping out on a year of lifting weights will not leave you just as strong. You grow or you atrophy. Those are the only two options. There is no middle ground. Complacency kills.
You can always take one more step
After just over 12 hours, at about 9:30 am Sunday morning, I found myself on the same field where we’d started. The only thing left to do was carry our partner (and both of our packs) across the grass to the finish line.
It took us 15 minutes to cover 100 yards.
It was chaos. But there was still one step left in us. There usually is.
You just have to condition yourself to take it.
So I’ll ask again.
How often do you test what you’re actually capable of?
It’s time to start turning limits into milestones.
If you need me, I’ll be recovering…
-Scott
P.S. Please share one experience in the comments below: either a past limit that became a milestone, or a future limit you plan to disprove. Give us some motivation! (email readers click here for the comments)
And keep an eye out for that fitness course in the next month or so. It was a blast to be a part of!
Now here are a few pictures from the adventure:
Now it’s your turn. Share one limit-breaking experience or goal in the comments! (email readers click here)
Brock
Posted at 19:11h, 05 JuneI’ve always had a deep fear of rejection. Though it may seem insignificant, I was rejected the first time I submitted an article for a guest post. It exploited my insecurities and self-doubt flooded over me. I nearly quit, but I decided I wasn’t going to let my own insecurity win anymore. Today I submitted an article to another blog with the resolve that if I get rejected, I’ll just have to try again. I’m the only one who can dictate my own success and failure. I’m determined to succeed. Great post Scott, I appreciated it, and it has reinforced my drive for success!
Scott
Posted at 21:39h, 05 JuneGlad to hear you’re still taking the right steps Brock. That’s all you can ask for. I can’t tell you how many rejections I’ve had in the past years- both for guest posts and all else. You learn to embrace them in an odd sort of way! Each one gets you closer…
Bill
Posted at 07:32h, 06 JuneVery inspiring post Scott. I took a huge leap in 2005, leaving a good job to start a business. Just about everything went wrong, but gradually I started knocking off problems, adding to my knowledge and skills, stumbling upon key people that could help me (like Uday, my SEO expert and now good friend). Now in 2012 I have a small but successful business that I am turning over to my sons. But the back story on this is how it changed my perspective from a risk-averse, corporate slave to an “entrepreneur in progress”, with another business idea in the “oven”. The metaphor I use to explain this transformation to others is the story of Lewis and Clark…these guys explored the entire western US in 1803 with no maps, and did not lose a single man. It was all about collecting the basic knowledge they might need (first aid, celestial navigation, edible plants etc) before leaving civilization and then used their skills at networking with friendly indians along the way (including Sacagewia who ulimately saved their lives in a tough spot) to find their way to the Pacific Coast. This is a metaphor for life, in my book
Scott
Posted at 09:18h, 06 JuneLove that metaphor Bill and your story is amazing. Living Your Legend no doubt! Congrats on leaning into the fear and building something you’re proud of- and that your family can be proud of. My guess is it was worth the effort (and possible pain) along the way 😉
Annie Andre
Posted at 07:45h, 06 JuneThat looks amazing Scott. I have a few friends who live in the presidio and the Marina. i can’t even imagine how strange it must have been doing something so physically exherting in the city, up the hills in water.
One of my first physical limit pushing accomplishments I did years ago was join a kick boxing gym in Los Gatos. It may sound like nothing but to someone like me who was extremely shy and introverted (until i got to know you) it was a HUGE deal. I could barely go to the gym and work out because I was too self conscious so taking a kick boxing class was beyond anything i had ever imagined. I went to the first class and thought i was going to die. Then two then three and before i knew it i was doing round house kicks and talking with complete strangers who i didn’t work with. Since then i’ve gone on to do other things but joining that gym helped me get over a lot of my shyness. Shyness was holding me back. I wanted to do so many things but was too afraid of what other people would think of me and too afraid to be the center of attention. Now i love it. Well kind of..
Great post Scott. I always get my daily dose of kick ass inspiration when i read your posts.
Annie Andre
Posted at 08:01h, 06 Junetypo scottt, i didn’t mean (until i got to know you) meant to say (shy until i get to know you). ooops. happy fingers type fast.
Scott
Posted at 09:22h, 06 JuneI’ve done one kickboxing class in my life and it crushed me :). Congrats on the huge progress Annie. You bring up an excellent point too: join a community to help get over shyness and team up with others to push your limits. This is definitely going to be a part of the How to Connect with Anyone course I’m working on. Thank you for that.
And if I’m ever caught in a dark alley, I know who I want in my corner!
Pete
Posted at 08:41h, 06 JuneWhen I want to drop my limits I pick up a new lens to look at the world.
The people who do work that matters, the Living Legends who impact the world
Seeing the first line of this post I feared that you are limiting legends by defining them.
The next time you see a trash collector see the living legend before your eyes. He came from the void, is made of star dust, risks his life and has saved millions.
The two occupations with the highest mortality rate are sanitation workers and fishermen. To beat that risk in other professions you have to isolate to areas of specialization.
I propose that sanitation is the single greatest life saving advancement of the last century.
The greatest legends are the ones nobody knows.
Scott
Posted at 09:25h, 06 JuneThat’s exactly the point of the work we do here at Live Your Legend. It’s not about being famous or doing something crazy. It’s about doing something that’s congruent with who you are, with your talents, strengths, values and the things that excite you. That may be trash collecting or it may be going to the moon – or anything in between. The point is that you are true to what actually matters to you.
I agree with you Pete- thanks for this.
Beth O'Donnell
Posted at 09:34h, 06 JuneI did a high ropes course, working through abject terror and vertigo, as well as 110 degree heat. One of the proudest moments of my life.
Scott Dinsmore
Posted at 07:27h, 07 JuneI can only imagine what that experience has allowed you since then Beth- congrats!
Ben
Posted at 09:36h, 06 JuneThis is a timely post as I’ll be running the Tough Mudder in Beaver Creek, CO this weekend. I’ve never ran 10 miles before in my life, let alone at high altitude with obstacles. It will be a great way for me to break through the story I tell myself that I’m not good at running distances.
Thanks for the post Scott!
Scott Dinsmore
Posted at 07:44h, 07 JuneId say you picked the right event! But from what Ive heard about tough mudder, the run is not the only part to be worried about ;). Should be a blast!
Sandy Flores Uslander
Posted at 09:44h, 06 JuneHaving never been athletic, it was a huge deal to commit to a team in training marathon several years ago. After my first 10 mile run I fell into bed and slept for 3 hours. But I kept training, and after the many, many weeks I not only raised the $1800 in donations, but actually enjoyed running 26.2 miles in just under 4 hours. And somewhere in the process, I just felt invincible in every part of my life. The mind-body connection was made utterly clear. Since then, being athletic has been a part of who I am.
Today, I face a different challenge; one of creating a body of work and an online persona that really sticks my neck out. Could it be time to do another marathon? It occurs to me that a physical challenge of some sort could really do the trick. Is that part of what your Goruck challenge was about?
Thank you for sharing and providing a space to reflect on the rewards of pushing limits.
Scott Dinsmore
Posted at 07:50h, 07 JuneI swear- finding and realizing this connection is the holy grail! You no doubt know what I mean. Wow. And yes, Goruck no doubt in part was to further inspire and expand the mind- perfect timing with some big projects coming up 🙂
Erick Widman
Posted at 09:48h, 06 JuneThis is inspiring stuff! There is a huge correlation between pushing the limits with fitness/athletics and doing the same with life in general. (And I liked your post earlier about Branson’s key business advice being summed up in “work out!”)
I think a big goal for me and my family is to be able to spend every summer overseas — to travel, serve and give our kids a great experience growing up.
Scott Dinsmore
Posted at 07:54h, 07 JuneTalk about a worthy goal! Something tells me you’ll soon have that one in the bag Erick…
Scott Balcom
Posted at 09:57h, 06 JuneHi Scott,
Thanks for the post and congratulations!
This is going back a long time now but when I did this I was told by everyone who had ever taken an engineering class that I would die. I had already walked the first high slackline but this was much higher. Now high slackline has become a sport of its own. Oh and listen to the poem because “Beauty is fearless”
check out the video, First Lost Arrow Spire walk
http://youtu.be/c6RYJFz1tqI
Scott Dinsmore
Posted at 07:55h, 07 JuneBeauty is fearless. Love it!!
Paige | simple mindfulness
Posted at 10:47h, 06 JuneI grew up a city girl, went to college and started a career at a big firm in Boston. I was never one for the outdoors (ew! dirt & bugs!). When I got disallusioned with the corporate life, I finally listened to my intuition and put all my stuff in storage, packed up my Jeep and drove west. I ended up at an outfitting school outside of Jackson Hole, WY. There were only 5 of us in the class. We lived in canvas tents in the woods for a month and a half, learning how to hunt, fish, pack horses, manage camp and clients in this environment. We cooked over an open fire and ‘showered’ once a week in an extra tent with a bucket of water we heated over the fire.
It was the most amazing experience of my life and about as far out of my comfort zone as I could imagine. I learned levels of self-sufficiency that have carried into every aspect of my life. After that, I KNOW that I can do anything. It’s simply a matter of being open to it and taking the steps to make it happen. I know that anything is possible.
That experience led to a 2 year sabbatical from my corporate jobs and the realization that I could still do the same job but on my own terms. Now I do my job from my 20 acres in the woods, working from home with my kids who we’re unschooling.
Scott Dinsmore
Posted at 07:58h, 07 JuneThis sounds crazy…and so much fun!! What an experience and life. That’s what I call Living A Legend!
Wow these comments are inspiring me big time!! Thank you all.
Ben Didacus Opiyo
Posted at 13:01h, 06 JuneHi scott,
Great article and thanks for the inspiraton!
I was posted in this wonderful rural parish in kenya. All is fine except that the parish truck has seen better days and it keeps breaking down. I get fed up and tell the parishioners that we have to get a new one. The only other challenge is that we had also decided to begin a girls’ school from the scratch. Suddenly we have two major projects running into millions of kenya shillings with majority of the christians poor. Doubts begin to be raised that this is madness! We cannot have both, some are even suggesting that we lack capacity to even realise one project. I put my head down, get a team in place and insist that both must come into reality. We finally did it. But l must admit that at some stage l also panicked. But l came to learn that if you are passionate about your dream, talk about it constantly with confidence and put some plans in place, then proceed to begin with the first step, what do you know! You come to meet with people who either get excited about it or are impressed and join in. This parish got a brand new toyota pick-up and the girls’ high school is in it’s third year. For the school, we are still along way, but our team has this quiet confidence that no matter how long it takes, we will make stride.
Fr. Ben.
Scott Dinsmore
Posted at 07:59h, 07 JuneI officially have chills Ben! Thank you for doing what you’re doing. Love hearing your story!
Rose Byrd
Posted at 13:10h, 06 JuneScott, pushing the edge of the envelope out into never-before explored places within myself is how I am testing the limits. I am blessed to be doing this with many supportive and talented blogging friends. Very exciting to see you guys supporting each other in that 12 hour day of fitness work.
Scott Dinsmore
Posted at 08:01h, 07 JuneIt’s all of us together that makes this stuff possible. I’d be nowhere without the rest of you. I mean that!
Amy
Posted at 04:05h, 07 JuneAnother brilliant post Scott, thank you. Your articles about the kids swimming from Alcatraz eventually made me sign up for an open sea swim between two castles where I live in the uk, something i never thought I’d be able to do, but on Sunday I joined 300 other swimmers to complete over a mile swim in howling winds and rain. It took me just under an hour and the whole way I just kept thinking if those kids can do it then I have no excuse!
I’m so chuffed I did something that took me so far out of my comfort zone and that i never thought i could do. Next up, finally launching my business that I quit my job to start, again largely down to live your legend. You do such great work Scott, I am inspired by every post you write, thank you! xx
Scott Dinsmore
Posted at 08:06h, 07 JuneNo way Amy- this is unreal! I am so proud/happy/excited to hear your story. That swim sounds epic. The crazy thing about swimming with those kids is that I likely would have never done the swim if it wasn’t for than. And because of them, my psychology has totally changed. Enjoy that refreshing water :). Rememer to flip on your back half way through, do a little back stroke, and enjoy the view!
Greg Nance
Posted at 07:18h, 07 JuneThanks for the epic inspiration, Scott! I have been an athlete all my life and a non-profit leader since college but I’m trying to amp up both.
On Tuesday I am flying to Italy to begin the 7 Day Challenge, a fundraiser for MoneyThink, the NGO I help run. I’ll be soloing Mt. Blanc, swimming London’s Thames River and finishing the week by running the Hadrian’s Wall Ultra. It’s going to be a tough time but I’m feeling jacked up after reading about your experience with Goruck.
Here’s a little more on my upcoming challenge:
http://www.giveforward.com/sevendaychallenge
Cheers from Cambridge,
Greg Nance
Scott Dinsmore
Posted at 08:10h, 07 JuneWhoa. Any one of those alone would be enough but to be combining them all into one week, on top of non profit work, is on a whole new level. Something for me to aspire to…I’ll be thinking of you next week!
Rachel Denning
Posted at 10:43h, 07 JuneWow. Thanks for the inspiration.
My husband would love to do something like that. He’s a ‘limit-pushing’ junkie 😉
Scott
Posted at 16:38h, 07 JuneOh come on now Rachel – you both are! Btw, was thinking about you for a post I’m writing on the importance of travel and adventure as I prep for a trip to Turkey 🙂
Kellock
Posted at 17:30h, 07 JuneAwesome post! I’m only a recent LYL follower, but I’ll be graduating from college in just over a week (go gauchos!)…that’s a monster I have yet to face!!
I summited Mt. Doom this past fall (Mount Ngauruhoe in NZ) and I’ll be doing half of the John Muir this summer….I’m a Berkeley native though, so I HAVE to do the Goruck next time it comes around.
Great travel articles
Posted at 11:57h, 08 June[…] had never heard of the Goruck Challenge until it was mentioned over at Live Your Legend… Scott only teases the details of it but it sounds like 12 hours of hell! But it also sounds […]
Steven Luibrand
Posted at 13:29h, 08 JuneHi Scott!
Loved reading this. I wish I could of been there too! Unfortunately I would have been biting off more than I could chew.
Two limits I overcame in the past:
Getting a black belt in karate. When I started I was out of shape and didn’t actually think I’d ever be able to do it. I fell in love with the process and four years later I did the impossible.
The second thing was going to Germany for an internship. For some reason (shyness?) I was very afraid of living in another country. I thought I would be lonely and miserable. However it was an opportunity I couldn’t NOT take, and it ended completely transforming my life and the way I live.
Thanks for the post Scott!
Cheers.
Elle
Posted at 23:23h, 08 JuneHI Scott
Just this morning I signed up for my first 12km run – called the City to Surf (Perth, Western Australia) to raise money for the Activ Foundation – I’ve covered the ground as a 12km walk (one of the options) in previous years, but have always found a reason not to do the training to complete the run …
Today I paid my money, I’m in wave 3A – under 103 minutes to complete the course.
3 weeks ago I started interval training (run / walk) to build some kind of stamina for my breathing – last night it was raining, I went for the run / walk anyway 🙂 I train regularly but try and avoid too much in the way of cardio
About me? I am 20 kilos overweight, a single mum to a 20 and 18 year old and sit down all day at work… I also run a business called Motivate Me (http://www.motivateme.info) and I push myself so I can help motivate others to push themselves.
Oh yes and in October 2013 I shall probably be the oldest competitor in the team I was asked to join to complete the Tough Mudder course here in Perth, Western Australia
Thanks for the inspiration
Elle
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Posted at 06:06h, 14 June[…] as proof that friendships don’t stop at borders, Mario flew out last week to tackle the Goruck Challenge with me in San […]
Sara
Posted at 10:15h, 14 JuneScott, thanks so much for this post!
If not for the first triathlon I did a few years ago, I would still be lusting after the shot of adrenaline and confidence that comes with accomplishing something big. I certainly never would have done more triathlons or run the Big Sur marathon.
You reminded me today of how much there is still to discover and that, contrary to what I thought about myself growing up, I love testing my limits.
Keep up the excellent work!
Ps. How about a co-ed challenge?
Sara
Posted at 10:24h, 14 JunePPS. You will rock at WDS! No worries there!
Charlie Harper
Posted at 20:33h, 23 JuneBravo Scott! I get so excited when I read about people succeeding at their goals. I set out to build a boat in my spare time and I still get excitement/fear butterflies every time I think about it. I’m in the home stretch, and every time I read about someone finishing a goal it gives me extra inspiration to go out to the shop and keep working. Thanks for the fuel.
saltna
Posted at 16:28h, 10 JulyThis is a timely post as I’ll be running the Tough Mudder in Beaver Creek, CO this weekend. I’ve never ran 10 miles before in my life, let alone at high altitude with obstacles. It will be a great way for me to break through the story I tell myself that I’m not good at running distances.
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Posted at 17:16h, 17 July[…] from Alcatraz with a group of 12-year-olds, run ultra-marathons and sign up for events like The Goruck Challenge. It’s also why fitness is my #1 priority and why our official partner charity is […]
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Posted at 06:08h, 30 July[…] “A Brief Guide to Disproving Human Limits” by Scott Dinsmore over at Live Your […]
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Posted at 09:12h, 25 February[…] as proof that friendships don’t stop at borders, Mario flew out last week to tackle the Goruck Challenge with me in San […]
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Posted at 22:22h, 07 January[…] You can see it here: https://liveyourlegend.net/a-brief-guide-to-disproving-human-limits/ […]
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Posted at 23:59h, 22 August[…] https://liveyourlegend.net/a-brief-guide-to-disproving-human-limits/ […]
Comment On A Brief Guide To Disproving Human Limits By Balancing Fear And Faith – Touching Ground … Coming Soon | Bloggsom
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