You’re Not Fragile. You’re Capable of More.
Somewhere along the way, the training world got soft.
Everywhere you look, people are talking about recovery. Ice baths, saunas, Zone 2 heart rate training, mobility sessions, supplements, and sleep trackers. Everyone’s trying to find the perfect formula to not do too much.
Don’t get me wrong. Recovery does have a place. But the truth is, most people are so far from overtraining that they wouldn’t recognize it if it walked up and shook their hand.
We’ve built a culture afraid of hard work. Afraid of fatigue. Afraid of doing more than the minimum.
The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything
When I approach my own training, I don’t ask, “How little can I get away with?”
I ask, “How much can I handle?”
How much quality work can I fit into a day, a week, a month, a year?
How can I train my mind and body to carry more load, to recover faster, to keep showing up with effort and intent?
That question changes everything because it stops you from trying to protect yourself from stress and teaches you to adapt to it.
You don’t build resilience by avoiding challenge.
You build it by facing it, over and over, until what once felt heavy becomes light.
You’re Not Made of Glass
You are not fragile. You are not a porcelain vase that needs to be handled with care. You’re a human being — designed to bear weight, to endure, and to overcome.
Your body is capable of incredible adaptation.
Your mind is capable of extraordinary resilience.
But only if you demand more from them.
If you constantly protect yourself from stress, you rob yourself of the very thing that creates growth.
Discomfort isn’t the enemy; it’s the teacher.
The Legend of Emil Zátopek
Emil Zátopek, one of the greatest runners in history, used to do workouts that sound almost mythical: 100 x 400 meters.
Yes, one hundred.
Most people today would call that reckless. But Zátopek wasn’t worried about how much recovery he’d need. He was obsessed with his capacity to suffer - to push the limits of what the human body could handle.
That’s why he became one of the greatest athletes to ever live.
He wasn’t trying to balance training and recovery perfectly. He was trying to expand his limits.
Capacity Over Comfort
This mindset extends far beyond sport.
In your work, in your relationships, in your personal life. The goal isn’t to eliminate stress, but rather to build the capacity to handle it better.
We live in a world that constantly tells you to slow down, protect your peace, do less. But often, the peace you’re looking for is found on the other side of doing more, and doing it well.
You’re not fragile.
You’re capable of hard work.
You’re capable of doing more than you think.
The sooner you stop treating yourself like you’re made of glass, the sooner you’ll start building something real. Strength, resilience, and the kind of quiet confidence that only comes from showing up and putting in the work.
So ask yourself today: Am I protecting myself from stress? Or am I building the capacity to carry more?
That question might change everything.
The Relentless Pursuit of Excellence isn’t about doing less — it’s about doing the work that makes you better.
