Saturday, December 24, 2016

LET'S ROLL......

I first read Travis Macy's book The Ultra Mindset a year ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a sport specific "self help" book of sorts, unlike any I have read. The concepts and format make it's content current and quite relevant to every aspect of your life. Mike Welk described the book as "the one book you can read 30 times and always get something out of it." Travis has laid out 8 core mindset principles that when implemented separately or in conjunction with one another will help you be successful in sports, life and business. After I read the book I passed it along to a friend as I often do with such books but never stopped thinking about the concepts. Eventually, I purchased an additional copy reread it and have gone back periodically to review a concept when I felt I needed to. I connected with Travis on LinkedInn, followed him on Twitter and Facebook and frequently watched his YouTube videos. I feel the Ultra Mindset principles parallel my own and made every effort to use them to guide me in life, work and sporting pursuits. With an open mind and self reflection you can use these principles to achieve daily success in every aspect of your life too.
I was ecstatic when I discovered on Travis's FB feed that he was enrolling participants in his Ultra Mindset course for endurance athletes. It asked, "Do you want to optimize your racing, work and life with an Ultra Mindset?" I did and signed up directly.
Without going into much detail of the course itself, it is an active, candid, personal and public self reflection of how or what you have experienced within the realm of the 8 core principles of the Ultra Mindset and how to use those principles successfully, daily. Each week follows a corresponding book chapter, supplementary readings and reflections, a 1 on 1 phone call with Travis and weekly video call with an extraordinary panel of endurance greats including Marshall Ulrich, Dave Mackey, Rebecca Rusch, Krissy Moehl and Jason Schlarb just to name a few. Throughout the 12 week course participants share stories, feeling, experiences in an effort to seek an improved mindset that will generate wellness in life and beyond, IF..... you participate fully. It's like everything else you get out of it what you put into it and if you are willing to put into these principles the rewards are endless and last a lifetime.
An additional perk of the course, are the folks you meet along the way. Their stories and experiences reveal how different and similar some us are. How willing people are to share and support one another based on common experiences and a brief exposure to one another. And because of technology that connection is able to continue and flourish beyond the course, its wonderful.
My mindset has been put to the ultimate test since the courses end. I lost my job recently and I have put into practice every mindset principle time and time again as my families course has been unexpectedly altered. We have railed together to develop plans to keep our heads high, feet on the ground and moving forward when things appear to be stacked against us. No DNF acceptable here.

* Let's be honest the course cost money. So only commit if you are ready and willing to take yourself to the next level. This will take effort and NOT going for a run kind of effort. Not everyone is ready and able to honestly search within themselves to tap into the power of their mind. You wont get anything out of it if you don't commit 100%. Like anything else!