Don't Limit Yourself

I've been wanting to write about this for some time now. Time lends itself well to perspective, and this is as good of a time as any to share mine.

Back in 2014, after I finished my first Ironman in Madison, Wisconsin, I was euphoric. "This was it," I told myself. "This is the pinnacle. I just completed a freaking Ironman!" Like so many others, I bought the sticker for my car, wore my M-dot branded finishers gear with pride, and of course, I got the obligatory M-dot tattoo on my calf.

I had seen other tattoo styles that had more clever and intriguing designs, but I decided to go simple. Plain ol' M-dot, but "with room for more" I told people, envisioning adding another after each completion, eventually circling around my calf like my friend Doug Staudt had done (he was smart and had his done at the same time).

Until then, there would be just the one, singular, lonely M-dot. "Less is more" - except when it comes to writing race reports, hahah! Since it's on the back of my calf I rarely see it, and others only do when I'm wearing shorts (living in Iowa only allows for shorts regularly about 3 months out of the year, maybe 4). It's a good conversation starter, both with people who recognize what it is and want to share their Ironman story, and also with people who want to know what it is and what it means to me.

I don't ever regret getting it.

However: I wish I had done it differently, and for a variety of reasons.

For starters, I misjudged the size of it when I had it done, and it took up more real-estate than I expected. Because of that, there's limits on what I can do around it. Sure, I could spend thousands of dollars either having it removed or getting something incredibly intricate design done around it, but I'm not sure if I want to go that route. I'm personally not ready for the type of tattoo you have to study it to make out all the details. That works great for lots of people and their tats are beautiful, but I'm not sure it's my style.

The main reason I wish it was smaller is because I'd like something that is more encompassing of all things I've achieved in endurance sports since then, that I'm equally proud of if not more so. The 100 mile run, the back to back marathons, the ultra triathlons, and whatever else I may accomplish in the years ahead. Plus I have to get Wendy and Kaitlynn incorporated in somehow.

I'm sure some of you are thinking, "So just get that stuff added then! What are you griping about? Just have a good tattoo artist come up with a way to incorporate all those things you want to show off." That's not the point.

My point is, I was thrilled with the original tattoo size because I thought nothing would ever top it. In my mind, there was no need to leave room for bigger things when I thought there was nothing bigger out there that I could accomplish?

Looking back, I realize that I'm no different from nearly anyone else in the sense that we all have perceived limits of what we're capable of. Think about it: there was likely a time in your life when you achieved something personally, professionally, or recreationally, and you said to yourself, "Wow. That was awesome. I can't believe I just did that! I have to savor this, since I'll probably never come close to repeating or exceeding that again."

We are right to celebrate those achievements! But as we get older, we have this awful habit to put artificial ceilings in place. "I'm too old to (fill in the blank)," or "That person who I admire and has had so much professional success had a 10 year head start, I won't be able to achieve what they did."

Why do so many of us think that? It's almost as if a majority of humanity is programmed to accept limitations without even attempting something that seems to be out of reach as we get older. We don't have those perceived limitations when we're kids. Parents and teachers (good ones, at least) tell us we can be whatever we want to be when we grow up. At what point do we stop believing that?

More directly, at what point do we stop believing in ourselves?

Is it risk? Is it fear of failure? Probably a little of both. I think as we grow older, we tend to be more cautious and risk-averse. Time and money factor into adulthood that doesn't impact us as severely when we're young. As kids, we have all the time in the world to dream, and dream big. As adults, our responsibilities are a reminder of the things we are told we "have" to do, and those things leave little time for the things we "want" to do.

It's bullshit.

We NEED to keep dreaming, and start finding ways to do more of those things we "want" to do. I'm not suggesting anyone shirk their responsibilities of providing for their families or quitting their jobs, but instead try prioritizing things just a little differently. Time is both the biggest limiter and greatest equalizer. We all get 24 hours in a day - ask yourself how you're using them. Are you putting any of those hours towards achieving your dreams? Or are you lying on the couch, dreaming about it some more and hoping that someday it'll just happen on it's own?

I have friends that have been very successful in their businesses. I have friends that have been very successful in endurance sports. There are plain and obvious similarities between them:

1) They have clearly-defined goals.
2) They have plans in place to achieve them.
3) They do something every day that helps move them closer towards their goals.
4) They rely on the assistance and expertise of others, knowing they don't know it all.
5) They don't fear failure; they fear not learning from it.
6) They keep dreaming bigger.

None of this is new or an earth-shattering revelation, I know. But I can tell you from my own endurance journey, that's exactly how I was able to achieve all that I have so far.

My ambitions have outgrown the M-dot tattoo. It's always going to be a part of me, and like I said before I don't regret it. Why on earth would I regret getting something that represents a proud and significant personal  achievement? The lesson of that tattoo is actually more meaningful than what it represents: I've learned to never limit myself, my dreams, or my ambitions. Those 6 simple steps that I just listed, put into practice every day, can lead to amazing accomplishments. That's how I've been able to do all these "crazy" things.

You're not crazy. Dream big. Believe in yourself. Go after it.

I'm sure I'll get something done with the M-dot eventually. Hell, I've clearly put more thought into this than may be necessary. But that's the thing with tattoos: they're mostly permanent. Yes, I'm fully aware that there's removal technology and techniques out there. I just don't want to treat my body like an Etch-A-Sketch. Tattoos to me are personal, an expression of one's self and whatever self they want to show off to the world or something that's important to them.

The worst-case scenario is I can't come up with a good way to blend it, and end up having both legs and other parts of my body inked up with all the other crazy things I've accomplished now and hope to accomplish in the future. That would be pretty awesome, to have that much to be proud of.