Unlocking Reserves in Unconscious Competence

I think one of the most impressive expressions of fitness is the ability to thoughtfully differentiate the utility of something, and most precisely to the context provided.

On a surface level, this is the ability to understand when something that’s “good” might become “not-so-good”, or vice versa. For example, 3:00 ice baths – awesome!, 3 hour cold exposure + hypothermia – not so awesome..

While yes, the scope of your lexicon might impact your ability to gauge usefulness; no, that scope neither denies nor exempts you from more critically examining what/when/why/how something could pivot from good to bad, constructive to destructive, encouraging to discouraging, etc.

Along this same line of reasoning, consider how you might start to better discern nuances from synonyms.

Under the realm of expectation – when might visualization & anticipation be the same, and when might they not? How useful is it (or is it not) to visualize future success/obstacles in a workout, a conversation, a project, a business? How might/does that usefulness change when anticipatory perception is reality tested by actual experience?  

I ask these questions not to overwhelm you, but to incite reflection. Could some of the things you’re often imagining – and believing in good faith to be true – be preventing you from attaining the things you really want?

I’d like to believe the majority of us have access to a hidden “reserves” of unconscious competence. And that maybe, the best way to unlock them is to challenge more of what we don’t know to be true, than to follow what we do know to be true.