Each week I share memorable and uplifting stories of remarkable people accomplishing extraordinary things with simple acts of self-mastery. By subscribing, you can also get a free digital copy of my book, Hard Work Is Not Enough.
Scaling Life's Walls
Forty-six degrees. That’s the current temperature setting for my cold plunge. It started as a curiosity and transformed into a daily habit. There’s a list of potential benefits derived from cold exposure. I like it because it helps me answer one question “Are you the kind of person who does difficult things?”
No matter how many mornings you answer ‘yes’ to that question, it doesn’t get an easier the next day. Every day you have to talk yourself into stepping over the first wall of the tub. You must then talk yourself into staying in for at least three minutes.
Renowned neuroscientist Andrew Huberman provides some advice for cold exposure and for life which he calls the "Counting Walls" approach.
Huberman suggests viewing these walls not as hindrances but as challenges to overcome. Every time you suppress the reflexive urge to flee discomfort, you provide yourself with evidence of the kind of person you are becoming.
You’re faced with walls every day. There are walls at work. Your kids put up walls. They seem to be every you look. The walls might be made of fear, doubt, or skepticism. Perhaps it's a daunting task, a difficult conversation, or an intimidating goal. These are our adrenaline surges in everyday life.
These surges ask, “Are you the kind of person who does difficult things?”
The 'Counting Walls' approach is a way of answering 'yes' and will help you cross each wall one at a time. It doesn't dismiss the fear or discomfort but reframes it as an opportunity for growth and adaptation.
You got this. Keep going!
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Hi! I'm Jeff Shannon!
Each week I share memorable and uplifting stories of remarkable people accomplishing extraordinary things with simple acts of self-mastery. By subscribing, you can also get a free digital copy of my book, Hard Work Is Not Enough.
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