Sport and life ask us the same things (and there aren’t always directional signs)

The other weekend I completed my 4th Iron-distance triathlon, Ironman Austria. I was prepared. I’d done the training, felt rested, fuelled and strong. But as anyone who’s pursued a big goal knows (either in sport or life), sometimes the day has other plans.

So what happened?

The weather hit 33°C, the heat was relentless, and by the second half of the bike course, my new goal wasn’t about a finish time anymore, it was just to keep going, safely, and finish if I could.

I won’t take you through every detail, but let’s just say there were moments of doubt, moments of near tears, and moments where my body wanted to stop and my mind had to decide.

In the end I finished the day with 12 minutes to spare. My slowest Ironman on paper but my BEST one in experience, hands down.

Not because it was easy, but because it was hard. Because it asked me to dig deep, to lean on others when needed, to silence my self-doubt, and to trust my own inner voice: keep going. Or stop, if that’s the right choice for you today.

Sport and life ask us the same things.

Whatever you’re aiming for right now, a big career change, a personal goal, a relationship shift, chances are, you’re going to hit a stretch where it’s uncomfortable. Where you’re unsure and where stopping sounds easier. And where it’s not always obvious: Should you push through or stop?

What this race reminded me is that it’s in the hard stretches that we learn the most about ourselves:

• We learn when to ask for support.

• We learn how much more we’re capable of than we thought.

• We learn that sometimes stopping is the bravest choice, and sometimes pressing on is.

• We learn that progress is rarely a smooth straight line.

• And most importantly, we don’t have to do it alone.

If you’re at a point in life where things feel challenging, or you’re unsure which way to turn, you don’t have to figure it all out by yourself. Sometimes we need someone on the sidelines, someone who can help us pace things out, who can help us hear our inner voice more clearly.

If you’d like to explore how life coaching might help, whether it’s to push through something that’s uncomfortable, or to know when it’s time to change direction, I’d love to chat. Click here to get in touch, and let’s take it from there!