Infinity Games
Once you decide to never stop, it is easier to be patient and persistent
Reflecting
I have ten lifetimes worth of stuff I want to do including many things I’d love but I’ll never get to (e.g. big wave surfing) because I’m marginally less interested than things I’m already doing. And my top priorities are each infinity games – I’ll never “win” in a way that lets me stop. I will just progress to something farther/heavier/harder and keep going. I don’t really conquer mountains; I just visit. Tapping out someone in Jiu Jitsu just attracts harder competition. There are longer runs and heavier weights. One definitely cannot win marriage or fatherhood. You just survive. At worst, cope. At best, enjoy the moment. Unevenly, in fits and starts, progress.
Reminding myself that these are infinity games helps two ways. First, once I know that I’m never going to be finished and never going to stop, it dulls my impatient ache to perfect everything this week. Because if I’m never going to stop squatting, then the next week isn’t really that consequential and it is okay to relax slightly. It won’t come all at once and doesn’t need to. There’s nothing at the end anyway. Just more squatting. Secondly, there’s no point in putting off focusing where I suck. Because if I’m not going to ever stop, then any delay at addressing weakness will just force me to suck next month. Might as well get about it now.
Training
This morning’s whiteboard:
8 Rounds not for time
3 sumo deadlifts as heavy as possible
3 broad jumps as far as possible
200ft kettlebell front rack carry
Next run:
Fueling
Bison and mushrooms
Wild boar monster mash
Supplementing
I prefer magnesium to melatonin as a sleep aid. Everyone should probably supplement with magnesium. For kids who aren’t good at swallowing pills, these gummies could be a good option.
Measuring
What drives this massive discrepancy? Not solely the availability of delicious food – the three least obese countries have some of the best cuisine. Not solely genetics – Japanese-Americans suffer from an obesity rate twice that of Japanese. Sedentary lifestyle is one culprit:
There’s no one cause, but getting more steps and less soda probably would help Americans avoid being such a statistical outlier.
Recovering
Do you take rest days? I have been feeling good going seven days per week as long as I get over seven hours of solid sleep each night. But “take a rest day” is the most common advice I get so maybe I’d accomplish more if I tried training less…
Closing
Thanks to readers far and wide.
Great strategy, Chris, and I like the philosophy as well. We are gonna work out until we are physically unable to. I am a big fan of rest days, at my age (60). One cannot lift and workout everyday and expect to build muscle. For me, two lift days and two hikes per week, with plenty of sleep, and great nutrition, seem like a preety good recipe.
Hey Chris. I do rest days here and there as my body tells me to. Figuring out when I need a rest day has basically come down to going to the gym/run/etc feeling meh having a bad day to now having a sense of what my body and mind feel like when a day off if appropriate.
I also do what I call "easy" days where maybe I don't feel great but want to go to Crossfit or a run. My goal those days is to keep moving consistently throughout. Sometimes just keeping moving works great and sometimes I surprise myself and once I'm warmed up I have a great workout.
Last thing I do is I don't set an alarm unless I've committed to something with someone else. If I wake up that's a signal it's a go, if I don't I see how my body feels to go later. I just am one of those people who doesn't sleep as well if I know there is an alarm coming.