46 / OWS Mind Games. Priority. Laughs. Incredibles.

The mentality for swimming.

Oct 12, 2021

And welcome to my three new subscribers. "Many small streams will make a mighty river." Circle Three may be small, but it is a mighty community. Let's dive in.

"Instead of 'I don't have time,' try saying 'it's not a priority' and see how that feels."
— Kanwer Singh (aka Humble the Poet)

Time is our most valuable asset. Every single day we come across opportunities, causes, and distractions that can use our time — some of these valuable and others not. In the end, we are most at peace when our time reflects our priorities. Where can you say "It's not a priority?"

I've been saving this one for a while; it's INCREDIBLE. (Pun intended). A member of the Incredibles 2 art department presents the inspirations behind much of the animated scenes. If you like animated movies, art, design or anything in between, it is worth looking through the images.
"Too many leaders underplay the value of humor in working with teams and their broad organizations, and they miss the punch line: humor can make people comfortable and builds empathy, communication, and morale." Read this short resource from McKinsey on workplace humor.
Just Enough presents a mental model to think about our own "needs, ideas, and projects." These brief excerpts on topics from "Just Enough People" to "Just Enough Internet" helped reground my thoughts after a hectic week.
Incredibly humble, quite funny, and still with a lot to give. That's how I would describe actor Dev Patel after reading this long-form interview. You'd likely recognize him from his breakout role Slumdog Millionaire. "The very essence of acting, it asks for you to perform, transform, change, that’s the allure of the job…"
I'm firmly embedded in Spotify's universe of music, so I'm not a big radio listener nowadays; however, this website lets you tune into virtually any radio station around the world. Be your own DJ.

The Mind Game of Open Water Swimming

Remembering context when things get choppy.

My head is down; I’m daydreaming; I can't see. When all of a sudden I see an object more out the corner of my eye. A beaver?? I panic and pop up out of the water, knowing that there are beavers in the lake.

This isn't about imaginary animals, though. It's about perspective.

This beaver incident happened while I was doing an open water swim (OWS) back in August, and similar events have occurred a handful of times. (Amazingly, my heart rate spiked to the highest rate of my entire workout thanks to an imaginary animal.)

For those who have not experienced something similar during an OWS, imagine the feeling of staring down into the brown, murky water — barely able to see the tips of your fingers — the sun's rays creating shadows of movement in the water.

When the mind has space to wander and the eyes can't be trusted, it’s easy to become overwhelmed.

Just ask any five-year-old lying in bed in a dark room. A 2015 study published in the International Journal of Psychophysiology suggests that the fear isn't necessarily of the dark, but is more a fear of nighttime. Humans, throughout our evolution, are most vulnerable at night.

Swimming in open water feels vulnerable.

The mental battle that happens in the water is just as important to overcome as the physical, and the tool that I rely on is one of my Lessons from 25 Years: "Jump up to 30,000 feet every now and then."

When swimming, it's important to stay alert with everything happening: the splashing, the shadows, a focus on swim stroke, and the water’s current. With all that going on, a small wave might look like a beaver, a turtle, or a shark.

But zoom out, and the view is of a serene swimmer gliding along the water — probably some birds in the background whistling "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" too.

This happens in daily business, heated arguments, or walking up the basement stairs. The commotion, noise, and distractions can create beavers when there are none. When the mind wanders and the eyes can't be trusted, I try to refocus and zoom out to 30,000 feet.

Just keep swimming.