Day 76: Enough
And...I feel like I can't emphasize this "enough"
Action
Choose one thing today and decide what “enough” looks like before you begin.
Standard
Stop when the work is done.
Today’s Reading
One of the hardest lessons in training is learning when to stop. Most of us understand the danger of doing too little, but we often miss the danger of doing too much. If five sets are good, we wonder whether eight would be better. If losing ten pounds improves our health, perhaps losing twenty would be twice as good.
The same mistake appears outside the gym. If one book teaches us something useful, we order six more before finishing the first one. If a little discipline helps, we tighten the rules until the plan becomes miserable. Eventually, more stops helping and begins interfering with the original goal.
“Enough” is not laziness. Enough requires judgment because the correct amount changes with the goal, the season, your age, your experience, and everything else happening in your life. Some days enough might be a serious workout, while other days it might be a walk, a few movements, and an early bedtime.
The important skill is recognizing when the essential work has been completed. Do what needs to be done, do it well, and then have the courage to leave something in the tank.
Harry Paschall was the master of “enough.” Thanks to Bill Hinbern for permission to use this.
Coaching Vocabulary
Enough: The appropriate amount of work needed to move toward the goal without unnecessary excess.
Reflection
Where in my life would doing less actually produce more?
This lesson is adapted from Dan John’s book, Fitness Forge, originally written as Tools of Coaching. Learn more at danjohnuniversity.com/bookstore.