People often ask me why they are not improving their running, getting stronger, or losing more weight. They are exercising regularly, have a routine and stick to it. They run a 5km loop 3 times a week. But are not getting any faster. Or fitter. Or better. And they do not understand why.

I say it is all about adaptation.

The body needs to be in a state of stress to be forced to change. It needs to be challenged in order to adapt and improve. If you always run the same loop or always do the same gym session, you do not need to improve in order to complete it, so you won’t. They body is smart. And so is the mind.

Exactly the same thing applies to your mental capacity.

If you do the same mundane job day after day, there is not need for adaption or improvement so you will continue along the same monotonous path.

Without a mental or physical challenge you will stay exactly as you are. No need to change.

Some people are fine with that. Happy with their current state of monotony. For others the search for continuos improvement is what drives us to enter a marathon, start a new job or learn a language. Just a we get all our projects under control we decide to start a new one. I always thought that I was just a busy person who liked a challenge. Just as I became good at something I would stop it and move onto something else. I would accept a role that I knew would challenge me or decide to play a sport that I wasn’t very good at. All for the process of adaptation. Purposefully putting myself through the flailing, learning stage to come out the other end stronger, more skilful, faster and well… just better I guess. Some people say that I like to suffer but I say I am just in search of continuous improvement.

There is only one of me and I want to be the best version possible.

You should try it too.