“The problem is not the problem..."

MUSINGS FROM A COACH - 4 JUNE '24

“The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem”― Captain Jack Sparrow

I saw this quote in a high school classroom last week where I and another Coach taught two days of material to new Coaches. Of course, like many, I simply smile when thinking of the character Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise. But as I read it again, I realized how applicable this quote is to the endurance athlete.

As I've written about often, much of the allure of participating in endurance sports revolves around pushing yourself physically and mentally in very challenging environments. This "suffering", and then overcoming seemingly impossible circumstances, is an immensely powerful act that continues to draw us back.

But it's really the unknown - the things we cannot control - and how we react to them, that keep our interest peaked. If events went exactly as planned, I suspect most of us would get bored, check it off the list, and move on. How we handle those unexpected unknowns and come out on the other side is why many people pursue these challenging events.

But it is not easy. Knowing that we will inevitably face problems in events that we have no control over can be downright nerve-racking. So how do lifelong endurance athletes handle this knowledge?

Attitude. Well, more specifically, the right attitude. When faced with challenges that are unplanned and seemingly ruin expectations, it takes a certain strength of character to reimagine your circumstances and chart a new course forward. This isn't always automatic nor easy, but with practice, we can become quite empowered to handle any situation thrown at us.

So maybe Captain Jack Sparrow was right after all? ;)

Gratefully,

Mark

CEO Team MPI