what’s the .
why bother?
you might wonder (as did i): why bother writing a blog? isn't that somewhat antiquated and boring? and also, way too extensive for the modern, short-attention-span social media content world? well, i've got good news: it might be true, but i don't care.
this blog is not written with the intention of promoting myself or anything else or to gain attention. instead, it arose from the same motivation i outlined in my vision here. i am fortunate enough to have found my passion in life. i am fortunate enough to have discovered some significant goals that inspire and drive me, and that i can pursue every day. i’m not here to educate anybody nor is it my intention to pass on what i know or do. not least because i’m 18 years old and a junior triathlete it would be incredibly arrogant and pointless to lecture about anything to anyone. i’m here to take you along for the ride. i’m pursuing my goals with lots of mistakes along the way but also with lots of learnings. i’m here to figure sh*t out and talk about what i experienced and learned. it's a long journey with all sorts of obstacles and intermediary goals, but that's what makes life interesting.
life is not about achieving goals; it's not about satiation. as soon as we have attained something we’re just left with the problem of what to do next. we human beings are not made to sit for hours on end and be content with something. we're immediately onto the next thing. that's where our joy and delight lie: in pursuing a goal and recognizing the incremental progress. my journey is no different. the interesting part lies in walking the path, not in reaching the final destination (if there was a clear one). now you might ask, "who cares about reading about my journey?" fair enough, probably not too many.
headspace
triathlon is a very mentally demanding sport. you have to find the exact right balance of what to think, when to think, when to listen to what your body has to say, and when to override all the signals it's sending you. therefore, your mental attitude, your psyche, or your mindset is crucial. how do you get that right?
the answer is: i don't know; that's what we're here to discover. i do know, however, one thing that is crucial to the process: truth. you won't get anywhere if you're not honest with the people that surround you - your coach, your team, your family, etc. but that is by far the least important. most crucially, you have to be honest with yourself (or at least not consciously deceive yourself). one way to figure that out is to write, to communicate with people, to talk to people, to express truthfully whatever goes through your head. and if you manage to do that and organize it, review it, and write it down, you're a long way towards getting yourself in the right headspace - or even just figuring out what headspace you're in.
the .
for something "to have a point" is a very interesting expression. for one, a point is something specific, small but concentrated, and unified. we also usually say something has a point. the point is not exactly within the thing - whatever it is - but more in the distance. there is a relation between the thing and the point. it is something like an aim, an external point of focus or of direction. however, the expression mainly indicates meaning or purpose. apparently, if something or someone has an external point of reference, a direction, a goal, or an aim, that gives it a purpose - the goal is, in fact, the purpose.
in triathlon, i aim at the highest, i dream big. but then i focus solely on the next session ahead. i get the direction in my head and then i watch my feet for every step or misstep. the goal might change over time, the direction might vary, the destination might never be fully reached or achieved but the pursuit will sure have been worth it. same goes for this, rather ambitious enterprise. the point of this blog is somewhere in the far distance - way up in the mountains. this blog should serve every reader and myself to explore. it should inspire to achieve great things; it should aspire to the best version of each of us. however, the focus is on the next step ahead, whatever and wherever it may be.
that’s why
so, that's the answer: i am both writing this blog for everyone (who kindly decides to read it ;) and no one. this is my story, my specific journey with my hopes and my dreams and simultaneously it is a story just like yours. while my next step might be slightly different from yours, our point is the same.
i hope to inspire you in pursuing whatever you have defined for yourself as your goal, no matter what it is. if each of us works towards being the best version of ourselves, the world is a better place for it. i'm happy you're along for the ride!