Is there a limit beyond your limit?

How many times have you pushed yourself to the limit, then realized that you could’ve done more? Last week I was doing squats and was using a weight that I maxed out at eight repetitions the week before. As I approached the eighth rep, I felt that I could do one more. I took a deep breath and pushed myself through it for that extra repetition. Then, I stopped.

When I went to my workout journal to log my reps, I realized that I had misjudged the weight I was using. I had twenty pounds less than I had thought. My pride in my accomplishment turned to frustration. I could have done ten or more repetitions with that weight. Instead, I settled for nine. Why didn’t I continue pushing myself? That question really bothered me.

The answer

After a few days of thought on the matter, I realized something about my beliefs about progress. I have been so wrapped up in the concept of pushing myself to be just a little better than the day before. Although, that is what I believe propels us to success, it can also hinder us. I’ve inadvertently created a limiting belief. I have exchanged the concept of do the best you can, for do a little better than last time. Me…the person who is supposed to inspire people to reach for their success no matter what!

Humbly, we sometimes all have to admit that we fall short of our own expectations. This workout mistake was simple and easily overcome. But, where else was I falling short? Where else was I satisfied with being just a little better? It made me wonder how much better I could be at everything I do. It was a new awakening. Using myself as an example, I’m confident in saying that we can always do better. We can always improve.

Shift your mindset

Now, instead of aiming to be just a bit better than I was yesterday, I aim to be someone that I can’t beat tomorrow. This shift has allowed me to test my upper limits each and every day. When we do this, we are always striving to be our best. When we are at our best, we are proud of who we are. When we are proud of who we are, we are a success.