Recently at the gym, I was doing pull-ups next to another person who was doing the same thing. She was very good at pull-ups and made me feel like I should do more.
Up walks another guy who did some very difficult gymnastics moves on the bar. Seeing how some people can move their bodies so effortlessly can make you feel like you might be on the other end of the evolutionary chain.
The girl that was working out next to us said it was too intimidating to work out next to him because he was so good.
Your choice
Throughout your life, you will meet people that make things you find very difficult look easy. Those people can feel like S.O.B’s. They are not for being good at things, they might be for other reasons.
You have a choice to be intimidated by their ability or you could use it to inspire you into what is possible. It is your choice. The person did nothing different it is all in your reaction to them.
Intimidated
This is safe. There is no risk that you can see. You run away and all is well in the world. Lord knows I have done this more than once.
The risk comes way down the track that you don’t ever see. It is the millions of choices where you zig instead of zag. You move away from the challenge rather than lean into it.
Years later you will not be the person you could be after making all those safe choices and a difficult thing happens you can’t overcome it.
Inspired
You lean into the fear. You look at what someone else can do and you think, if they can do it, why can’t I?
You might not reach their level of skill or mastery, but you improve. You get that little bit better. It might not feel like much, but it adds up over time.
Years later, something happens and the person that leans into the challenge finds the resolve, confidence, and faith in themselves to give the problem a shot.
Same person, different choices.
Luke McMeeken-Ruscoe 