“I don’t have the right equipment.” “I’m on a business trip and there’s no pool.” “I’m just too busy with work and the kids today.”
We’ve all said it. We are not just athletes. We are parents, managers, employees, and friends. We don’t have the luxury of training all day, every day. But here is the hard truth:
95% of people fail to reach their goals because they rely on their environment rather than their system.
Build a System, Not an Excuse
This week, I was on a business trip. There was no pool in the hotel and no swimming facility nearby. For most, that’s a “day off” by default. But when you have a system, you become flexible.
If I can’t get my meters in the water, I don’t just stop. I adapt:
The Hotel Gym: Even with minimal equipment, you can maintain strength. Use the ergometer for a HIT session or do some stretching. Or go for a run.
The “Invisible” Training: I used this trip to obsess over the things we often ignore: nutrition, recovery, and especially sleep.
If you only train when the conditions are perfect, you’ll never finish a 65 km swim. Stop waiting for the perfect environment. Create a system that works when life gets messy.
How to do that?
Read that in my latest article!
BIG NEWS: The Cover is Here!
I am incredibly proud—and honestly, I still have goosebumps—to share a first look at the cover of my very first book.
Seeing the journey of The Alpine Seven and the lessons from my battle with cancer come together in this way is a milestone I can’t quite describe. We are in the final stages, and we are looking at a release in approximately 2-3 weeks!
What’s Next?
While this week was about recovery and hotel-room discipline, tomorrow is a different story. I am back for a proper training session to get back into the rhythm for the upcoming summer crossings.
My challenge to you this week:
Don’t let a lack of equipment be your exit ramp.
Take that “5%” of opportunity you have today and make it your 100%.
See you next week
Bernhard
P.S. I plan to send my letters out every Friday morning 5 am CET. But as this is a human-to-human connection, please bear with me if life (or my kids) decides to “reorganize” my schedule. I’m a pretty good swimmer, but I haven’t figured out how to swim through a family emergency at a good speed yet! 😉
