How Well Can You See Yourself?

How well are you able to see yourself?

I consider myself a pretty self-reflective person. I’m usually not afraid to look into the shadows—even when I don’t love what I find there.

And yet, there are times when I’m completely blind to things that are painfully obvious to an outside observer.

I’m also very good at rationalizing sub-optimal beliefs. Inside my own head, they can sound legit. Spoken out loud, they often fall apart.

That’s why I think it’s critical to write—and to think—out loud.

It’s also why I believe having a coach is incredibly valuable.

Humans are exceptional at pattern recognition. A good coach helps you interrupt patterns that aren’t serving you—and reinforce the ones that are quietly moving your life in a better direction.

One of the biggest challenges of the modern era is that we live too much inside our own heads.

We don’t get enough real-world feedback to properly calibrate ourselves. When that happens, the mind starts ruminating on things that aren’t tangible, actionable, or even real.

I’ve always gravitated toward physical effort as a way to anchor my mind back into the real world.

Several months ago, while Rucking, I had a simple realization:

With every step, I was making real, physical, undeniable progress forward.

The goal was just the top of the hill—but it was progress toward something concrete.

I started coaching when I was 16, helping with my younger brother’s roller hockey team.

In college, I ran my own lacrosse camp instead of getting a “real job” during the summers.

After school, I kept coaching. And honestly—I still see myself as a coach today.

But before real progress can begin, there’s one prerequisite:

You have to be able to see yourself clearly.