I recently joined a hiking group and started to hike long hikes with many hills and dales. When climbing hills, I feel like I am the Little Engine that could, huffing and puffing miserably.
During our hike, one of the hikers mentioned about a runner who suffered from a memory disorder. Because of the disorder, she could not remember how far she ran. As a result, she could run a marathon without getting tired. This episode reveals a fascinating point: endurance sports like a marathon is more mental than physical. We are physically capable of performing specific tasks, but it is the mental part of our brain that limits our ability.
So, I was walking by myself at my usual route. On this route, there is a steep hill I always dread to climb. To test out the mental theory, I decided to walk this hill without looking up. I focused on each step as if my foot was moving on the flat surface one step at a time. I had the temptation of looking up on the hill but kept an eye on my foot move. To my surprise, I was able to climb the hill without breathing hard!
This is a great lesson in life. Our cognitive mental process influences most of our endeavors. It is not our physical limit that is stopping us from doing something. The culprit is the anxiety and fears we mentally produce that physically manifest into physical constraints.
With this new insight, I look forward to our next hill challenge. I will make sure to quiet down my mental voice within me.
Learn to Live 