“I can’t do this. Just let me go.”
I stared back into the eyes of the complete stranger. The young girl, maybe 20 years old, was hanging on for her life, her ponytail bobbing and bright green shirt flailing in the light breeze.
“I know I can’t do this.”
There I was, dangling off the top of a half-pipe holding onto the girl. Half of my body was hanging over unsupported, while my tired legs held me in place. My hands were locked in an iron grip around the wrists of the stranger, as her legs kicked violently beneath her. Let go and she would fall to the bottom. The drop would mostly likely be fairly innocent; a bruise or maybe a stinging burn that would hurt more the next day.
But letting go wasn’t an option. Sliding back to the bottom of this half-pipe obstacle would have caused damaging consequences that were more mental than physical. On the small scale, failing to scale the half-pipe might have forced her to go around the obstacle on her way the finish line. But more importantly, it would have reinforced that there were certain goals she couldn’t achieve. So I gave my new dangling friend a brief pep talk and a simple command.
“You will do this.”
On Sunday, I participated in a Tough Mudder. For those you not familiar with the event, it’s a 12-mile run that mixes in a variety of physical obstacles. Everything from scaling a 12-foot wall, running through electrical wires (they shock you), to swimming underwater in a freezing tub (the “Chernobyl Jacuzzi”). The event is both physically challenging and mentally draining. You have to endure the race, the obstacles, and a lot of mud. For me, the race wasn’t as much about what I can accomplish as it was a lesson on becoming successful and building healthier attitudes and behaviors. I had a great time, step outside my comfort zone, and by the time the race was over, one of my long-held beliefs on health had changed.
I've always felt that creating a healthy lifestyle was primarily dependent on the individual. After all, no one can force you to eat the right foods, make time for exercise, or not engage in risky health behaviors. That’s not to say that friends, peers, and teachers/trainers/nutritionists can’t play an influential role. But it was my belief that if someone really wanted to make a change, the bulk of their success would depend on their ability to self-motivate.
And yet, ever since I joined the LIVESTRONG.COM team, my beliefs have been shifting. I’ve read hundreds of your success stories where the motivation for change wasn’t necessarily a dramatic life event, but instead being inspired by the success of another person. I’ve seen health battles won in our community forums, challenges faced—and achieved—in our Dares section, and conversations and encouragement on Facebook and Twitter that reaffirmed that LIVESTRONG.COM is more than a site that provides information on health, fitness, nutrition and healthy living. This is a community that creates change. So could it be that a collective approach is a vital part of individual change?
For me, that question was answered yesterday. The Tough Mudder was the perfect example of how a “team” approach to your health can help you achieve things you never thought possible. When I decided to participate in the “race,” it was at the suggestion of my editorial mentor, Ted Spiker. Had it not been for him, I probably would have never done anything like this. I am a self-professed fitness crusader. I embrace health and fitness challenges, but the one thing I’ve always avoided are races. After all, I’d lift weights and run sprints all day rather than run even one mile. But the Mudder was the chance to take on something new, and do it with the support of a team. And in the months of preparation for the race, the motivational emails we shared (Spiker and the rest of my team live in Florida) motivated me to believe that I could do something I never thought possible: Run 12 miles.
My ability to finish the course could be considered an aberration. I’m a self-motivated person who exercises and eats healthy for a living. But that’s not necessarily the case for the 6,000-plus people who I saw and helped on the Mudder course. The participants came in all shapes, ages, and sizes. But the common thread: All of them relied on others to succeed. You see, many of the obstacles couldn’t be successfully achieved alone. You needed people helping you over the walls, climbing over hay barrels, jumping off a 15-foot plank, pulling you out of freezing water, and yes—even creating a human pulley system that lifted people up and above the half-pipe.
The goal of the Mudder isn’t about racing for time. It’s about reaching the finish line and completing the race. The “end result” mentality is one that could serve a lot of people in their own health crusade. Short term goals are good and a part of a solid plan. But the bottom-line should always be what matters most—whether that means taking 6 weeks to exercise, 6 months to diet, or 6 hours to complete the race. In the end, if you reach your goal, that’s all that matters. And if you have doubts or hit a wall, the help of peers is probably the best way to ensure that failure isn’t an option. A good support system can offer what no workout program or diet can ever provide: The ability to compensate for your weaknesses and ensure that success is the only option.
In order to achieve your ideal health, you don’t need to act perfect all the time. You just need the right support and assistance to keep you pushing you forward.
As for the girl—she never tasted failure. We pulled her over the ledge and she was able to succeed. As we climbed to the bottom of the half-pipe, she was beaming and gave me a hug.
“Thank you for not letting go." she said. "I never thought I could do something like that. That was awesome.”
Awesome, indeed.
- Adam Bornstein
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