How to be “limitless” (with or without coffee)

There was a movie out a few years ago called “Limitless”, about a guy who was down and out who discovered a pill that turned his life around, allowed him to have unlimited energy, focus, clarity, memory, empathy, etc.

The first 30 minutes or so of the movie are quite moving!

And they recently made a TV show out of it.

Many people want to be “limitless”, myself included. But what does this mean?

There isn’t really a pill that can achieve this state for you. There are things that can get you moving, but it is all short lived.

What about living a limitless life without pills?

How might that affect your swimming, and your training and health in general?

Here are a few ideas on how to make things limitless in your life:

1. Sleep. First and foremost. Guard your sleep! You may be a napper, if so, allow yourself naps. They are healthy and smart. 7 or so hours at night and a 20 minute nap in the afternoon are what is working for me lately. You may need more or less sleep at night, and perhaps naps don’t work for you, but once you can get an accurate idea of your needs in this area, this makes a world of difference to your limitless possibilities.

2. Get off the carb rollercoaster. If you currently are eating carbohydrates all day, you are likely on an up-and-down rollercoaster with your blood sugar levels. Time to become fat-apapted! This means using calories from fat for energy instead of carbs. It’s not an overnight thing for most people, so get an idea of where you are now, and how you can move towards healthier fuel.

3. Get clear on your purpose. A clear “WHY” statement can act as a magnet, so you will be doing the things you need to do to accomplish your goals- on autopilot. Everything becomes easier and more enjoyable when you know your purpose!

4. Accept. It’s great to have a clear plan, such as a training plan, to guide you to what you want to accomplish. But it’s also important to be able to accept when you veer off the plan, for whatever reason. Maybe it’s a temporary illness, an injury, or you just had a change of heart that day.

And there are days where you don’t feel like exercising, but you do it anyway. The important thing to keep in mind here is, first accept the fact that you for whatever reason, do not feel like going out on your scheduled run, ride, or swim- but you’re proceeding anyway. Acceptance is key here!

Magic pills may be an illusion, but these four ideas will get you started on the path to limitlessness!

And if you drink coffee (like me), more power to you! My only suggestion is that you quit coffee 2 weeks before any endurance event, bring your tolerance down, and use it to get a boost on race day. 🙂

Here’s to living the limitless life!