Limits, Like Fears Are Often An Illusion
- Join The Dots Coaching
- Nov 16, 2018
- 2 min read
Limits, Like Fears Are Often An Illusion – Michael Jordan
The four minute mile was once thought unbreakable. According to British journalist John Bryant, the goal had been chased seriously by runners since at least 1886.
Attempted and failed by many, it had become as much a psychological barrier as a physical one. Finally in 1954, Roger Bannister smashed through the four-minute barrier in a time of 3:59.4. Since then it has been broken by over 1,400 male athletes, and is now the standard of all male professional middle distance runners. In the last 50 years the record for the mile has been lowered by almost 17 seconds.
At just 16 years of age Norwegian runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen ran 3:58.07 at the Prefonatine Classic in May 2017 and became the youngest runner to ever run a four-minute mile.
What do these achievements tell us – limits are just an illusion. Everything that has been achieved throughout the history of time from the invention of the telephone, to transatlantic flight, to breaking the ‘four-minute barrier’ was once thought impossible. But then it was achieved. As the great Nelson Mandela once said ‘everything is impossible until it is done’.
When the 4 minute mile was considered impossible, do you think that runners could imagine a day when a 16 year old would run 3:58 and it would be come the standard for all professional middle distance runners?
What limits are you imposing on your running? Do you think a 5K is beyond you, what about a half marathon, a marathon or an ultra marathon? A Boston Qualifier? Everything is impossible until it is done. If you look back on your running history I’ll bet you are now achieving times and goals that you once would have thought unobtainable. Look to the future, what limits are you self imposing on yourself for your future goals? You are your only limit. Challenge yourself, great things have never come from comfort zones.
4 Steps to Changing Your Limiting Beliefs
1 - Commit to your goal
2 - Examine your thoughts. Do you say you can or you can’t? Do you think Jakob Ingebrigtsen believed he could or he couldn’t?
3 - Dedicate yourself to do the work required
4 - Believe you can
Belief, starts with one thought – I can
Get working on your goal today!
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