This quote (in the headline) by professional cyclist, Greg LeMond, is pretty depressing to me. While This was said in the context of a competitive sport, I can’t help but relate strongly with the way I sometimes feel at work. Somehow, although I feel like I am getting better at most things, I don’t really get less busy or stressed. And I got to tell you, This is not the level of intensity I would like to be in for the rest of my life.

Given my aspirations to live a generally chillaxed kind of life, you can see why this quote is not a positivity nugget. Because it means things won’t get better. But, the reason for writing this post is that, actually, I did figure out some silver lining here that was meaningful to me.

Let’s deconstruct the reason that quote is even true. What happens is that everyone has some kind of a personal pain threshold, and they don’t go over it. But the trick is, that your ambitious nature won’t let stay under it either. You are always exactly at that pain threshold. And the fitter you are, the faster you can ride at that threshold. Now, where did that pain threshold come from? It is affected by your endurance, but it is also a choice. Your choice. It is your well-being. Derived by your values. The realization that it doesn’t “get” easier, is really the realization that you are the only one able to make it easier. Today, if you wanted to. The future doesn’t solve this for you. Your pain threshold is your choice, and it doesn’t get lower. You lower it. If you really wanted to. So the question is do I really want to?

-Nivge

Subscribe to my newsletter