Happy Monday!
Any time you begin something new, you can’t expect to be very good when first starting out.
For example, when I first started learning handstands, I was terrible at them. I could barely hold myself up against a wall, and my form wasn’t anything to be proud of. It took me years before I was able to hold a consistent freestanding handstand.
Recently, I started training jiu-jitsu, and I’ll be honest — I’m not very good at it yet. I have so much to learn. Every time I step onto the mat, I realize how much I don’t know. But I know I’ll get better — I have to give it time. To chip away at it inch by inch, just like I did with handstands.
Learning something new can feel daunting at times. When you realize just how far the road ahead is, it can be easy to want to quit before you even start. This is why your mindset is so important at all stages of your journey.
Most people these days have heard of a growth mindset. But so few people apply it to their actual lives. Having a growth mindset means you believe that your effort will make a difference. It means you allow yourself to try — and that you trust in yourself and keep going even when it feels like you’re getting nowhere.
So don’t be so hard on yourself when you try something new. Accept that you’re not going to be great at anything when you first start. The more challenging the goal, the longer the journey ahead of you.
Keep putting in the work, keep trying, and most importantly — keep going.
What I’m reading —
Invent & Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos by Walter Isaacson and Jeff Bezos
This is a fascinating look at the founder of Amazon and his approach to business, life, and how he thinks about the world. So many thought provoking ideas, including his insistence of a Day 1 mindset, his focus on the long term, and why a willingness to fail is closely connected to innovation.
What I’m listening to —
Oliver Burkeman: Time Management for Mortals / Making Sense Podcast
Lots of wisdom in this one. Burkeman calls on us to embrace our finitude and surrender to the rhythms of life, so that we may “end our struggle with time”—and live with “more accomplishment, more success, and more time spent on what matters most.”
(If you haven’t read it, Four Thousand Weeks is one of my favorite books of all time!)
A quote that inspires me —
“You can’t skip steps. You have to put one foot in front of the other. Things take time. There are no shortcuts, but you want to do those steps with passion and ferocity.” — Jeff Bezos
What I’m training —
Here’s a fun bodyweight workout you can do anywhere! No space or equipment needed. No excuses 😉
Three new workouts —
Jump Rope HIIT Workout (12 minute, jump rope)
Fierce Boxing Conditioning HIIT Workout (12 minute, plyo box or equivalent)
192 Rep Calisthenics Challenge Workout (Time challenge, pull-up bar, dip bar, plyo box or equivalent)
You can get these and all future workouts right in the 12 Minute Athlete app when you subscribe as a Super Athlete.
Questions? Feedback? Content requests?
Please feel free to reply directly to this email if you have any questions or comments (yes, I am a real human). I get a lot of emails and messages, so I can’t reply to all of them, but I do read everything you guys send me!
Dream bigger!
– Krista