What are you capable of?

Humans are judgmental. We are prejudiced. How much and which areas may be the differences. These aren’t bad things necessarily. It’s how I function in linear time and with threat reduction. I imagine even the most enlightened person has preconceived notions about others. One who is not myself is… not me. A different set of experiences. A different life. A different upbringing. That’s one thing that makes me unique. It’s hard to look at anyone and know what they are thinking. What they will do. What their motivations are. That led to to my rule of “Anyone is capable of doing anything.” It helps to curb the surprise when someone does something I didn’t see coming.

When I judge I see that I do it in one way and/or a second way. In the first way, I compare a situation externally to how others may act/behave. Basically what would society do/expect. The other way therefore is the internal way in which I compare myself to a situation. To follow the rule of sorts, how capable is a person compared to what someone else in society could do versus what I myself am capable of. To a small degree I have identified a third way of comparing someone to themselves. For instance (and just the first thing to come to mind) when Bolt sprints I can compare him to other sprints he made in the past (third way). I can compare him to how others are sprinting (first way). He can compare himself on how he sprinted, while even a slower time might still be a 100% effort (second way). We all have off days. I even try to externalize the second way in that exact fashion and make excuses/reasons for them. People were talking about Djokovick and his playing ability after getting married. There was an article about how other players in the past have handled the burden of marriage, some playing better, some worse. In a second way, only he can truly say what is going through his mind. We use scores and tests to measure in the first way. Laws and judgements can be a first way method, how is one acting when compared to society and do we generally consider it appropriate and acceptable.

Other than sports, in everyday life, work and activities, I go through the same motions. I look at others and judge them on how I would or would not do something. When I do something I can judge how others are doing and in myself with what I’m capable of. That is one of the most important pieces. I wish I had written down when I read this idea but “know your limitations but don’t be limited by them.” Simple and profound and while not my original idea, is a rule for my life. I can only do 1-2 clean overhand pullups. Seriously, that’s it. I can compare my ability to how many others can do (a lot more usually) and how may I could do.Time and effort are my limitations. I could do 3 then 4 and so on.

Only through true introspection can I gauge what I am capable of and just how far I can push it. A group of kids are hiking and come across a cave. A bear emerges and starts coming toward them. One of the kids stops, leans down and starts to tie her shoes. Another kid yells and asks what she’s doing. She says, “I don’t have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun someone else.”

-SFA