This Isn’t About the Cold Plunge…

This is my cold plunge, set at a balmy 38 degrees. ❄

❌ This article isn't about the benefits of cold plunges. (there's more data out there than I care to post today, but I'll chat about it with you if you are interested).

This is about that tiny little sign that I stare at when I'm in the plunge.

"Everything you want is on the other side of discomfort."

When I'm working with my high-performance clients (and no, It’s not to recommend that they cold plunge), we are often working through obstacles that are deeply rooted in identity.

"I'm not an exerciser." "I can't slow my brain down long enough to meditate." "I'm not a morning person."

My question to them is…What makes someone a morning person? Is it a belief that mornings are better than evenings? Or that they enjoy the sound of the alarm blaring? I AM a morning person, and neither of those is true for me.

What makes you a morning person? You wake up early in the morning. That’s it.

You’re an exerciser if you exercise. Not if you are the fittest in the room, or if you love burpees.

What we ARE is in the ACTION we take. The first time you wake up early, you’re a morning person. And from that day forward, every action that you take aligning to that identity strengthens it. Until one day, you’re “a morning person.”

“Don’t say things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary.” - Emerson

Does that mean you should brag on Instagram the first time you’re red-eyed at 4:43am after a poor night of sleep? I would advise against it. Getting others to identify you in a different way is not the goal here. We’re working to change the perception you have of yourself. And this starts with your own thoughts, one act at a time.

Your thoughts become your words. Your words turn into actions. Your actions transform into habits, and those habits form your identity.

What’s this have to do with cold plunging? It is fairly well known (although not universally practiced) that discomfort is where growth occurs. In order to become better, we have to do things that don’t naturally come easy. Consider the challenges of a new promotion, or practicing a new skill for the first time.

What clients often struggle with is the false belief that before they start acting differently, they must THINK differently. They must be motivated to want to exercise, wake up early, or start writing a book.

The Research Shows

But research is showing that when it comes to behavior change, the act of doing things we don’t want to do is often more powerful than being motivated to do it. David Goggins, a well-known (sometimes over-the-top) high level performer and Neurologist Andrew Huberman discussed research in people like David, who PURPOSEFULLY do things they don’t want to do, which found that a part of the brain that is tied to the “Will to Live” (known as the Anterior Mid-Cingulate Cortex for all you anatomy nerds) actually got LARGER. This was true in high level athletes, obese people who went on a diet, and those that have overcome a big challenge in life.

And guess what happens when the “Will to Live” center of the brain gets larger? You become better at doing OTHER things you don’t want to do. Like get up earlier, do the harder workout, avoid spending money on things you don’t need, or having less nightcaps.

Do First, Think Later

This philosophy may not play out well for all circumstances, but “Do First, Think Later” can be powerful for doing the challenging things you need to for growth. With my clients, we start small. Drink the right amount of water every day. Get your phone away from your bed at night (yes, even my CEO clients struggle with this, we’re all human). Get up 20 minutes earlier. And each time they do it, we celebrate. You did something hard, you didn’t want to, and your “Will to Live” center just got a bit bigger.

Looking to become a high-level performer? Figure out what it is that you need to do, that you aren’t currently doing. Then, start small. A 10 minute walk. One salad. Write 500 words. Recognize that you did something you didn’t want to do, and celebrate (small, in your head). Then, remind yourself that you ARE what you are doing. Repeat until successful.

Looking for some advice on where to get started? Not sure which aspect of your life to attack first? Let’s chat.