Episode 15: Finding Ultra
Welcome to Episode 15 of Metamorphosis, featuring the book Finding Ultra, by Ultra-Marathoner, plant-based fitness advocate, and host of the Rich Roll podcast, pitted as one of the fittest men on earth.
In May 2010, Rich and his ultra-colleague Jason Lester set out to conquer the EPIC5 Challenge, entailing 5 ironman-distance triathlons on 5 islands of Hawaii in under a week, i.e., 560 miles of cycling, 12 miles of swimming and 131 miles of running. It is a compelling account of discovering awareness, about awakening the dormant lying song yearning to be sung. “It’s a story about pain, and the unhealthy relationship with myself and the world that drove me to madness. And it’s about the hard-fought journey to reclaim my life. A life of purpose, personal meaning, and service to others.”
Mired with a severe case of drug and alcohol addiction led him astray for nearly a decade. He was landing in jails and leading a life in denial. Salving pain through all sorts of drugs, alcohol, and fast-food therapy, took him to some very dark places. Fast-forward to his 40th birthday, when he was defeated by a flight of stairs, he foresaw an impending doom looming in his near future.
That’s when he took it upon himself to turn his life around and break the chains of enslavement to take control of his health and destiny. “You too can be better, do more, consume less, thrive. And along the way achieve things beyond your imagination. All you must do is decide.”
My first takeaway is along the lines of embarking on a journey towards greater self-awareness of limiting beliefs. Rich says the journey to greater self-actualization is a life-long pursuit of infinite complexity.
For starters, probe your imagination, carve out some private space, devote some time for reflection, build on that entry daily and protect the time as sacred. Most importantly be patient and understand that this process cannot be rushed. Remember that “One can spend one’s whole life climbing the ladder, only to realise it’s been placed against the wrong wall.”
My second takeaway is from the statement, “We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
What it reaches out to explain is that no matter how diligently and wholeheartedly we pursue personal growth, we simply cannot transcend the human experience. As our spirit reaches skyward, our hands must remain in the soil. And the soil is dirty. Analogous to the roman expression, Memento Homo, you are just a man.
“When fueled by purpose and infused with a strong sense of personal meaning, there will be times you struggle to face the day’s obligations and responsibilities. Motivation will wane. Inspiration will fail you. It is imperative to remember one essential truth: mood follows action, and impulse must not dictate behaviour.
My final takeaway is - “For it is in giving that we receive.”
As Kahlil Gibran’s poetic words describe it best, “I slept, and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy.”
What Rich alludes to is a whole new way to approach the world around us. By recalibrating the very purpose of life, by investing in the betterment of others. He implores us to think about what’s unique to our life experiences that can be leveraged for the benefit of others. What matters is how you give yourself freely, share with others and prioritize it like your job and watch as a sense of purpose begins to flood into your life, which eventually welcomes joy.
Like always, ending with a few words to live by, here’s an exchange from the book:
“The prize never goes to the fastest guy.” Chris replied. “It goes to the guy who slows down the least.” (True in endurance sports. And possibly even truer in life.)
Thanks for reading through this episode of Metamorphosis, looking forward to catching up in the next!
