Try one hard thing this year.

Issue #001

Hi friends,

Last year, I set a goal that scared me enough that I couldn’t quietly back out of it: finishing an Ironman.

I didn’t choose it to prove anything or chase a podium. I chose it because I wanted to see what would happen if I committed—fully—to something genuinely hard.

The training taught me far more than how to swim, bike, and run long distances. It reshaped how I think about preparation, consistency, and following through when motivation disappears.

Here are a few lessons that stayed with me:

1. Accountability changes outcomes.
Once the right people knew what I was doing, quitting stopped being a private option.

2. A coach shortens the path.
Good guidance saves time, energy, and unnecessary mistakes. Pride is expensive—experience isn’t.

3. Don’t cheap out on what matters.
Cutting corners usually costs more in the long run, whether that’s money, health, or momentum.

4. Test everything early—and keep refining.
Race day isn’t the time for experiments. The work is done in the quiet repetitions.

5. Jump when you’re scared.
Fear is often a signal that the goal matters. Waiting to feel ready is just another form of delay.

6. Write the vision down—and make it unavoidable.
Goals that live only in your head stay theoretical. Put them where you’re forced to see them.

7. Involve your family and enlist support.
Big goals don’t exist in isolation. When people understand your “why,” they help carry the load.

8. Build a reason strong enough to survive bad days.
Surface motivation fades quickly. A real “why” doesn’t.

9. Live the plan.
You don’t magically become tougher when it matters. You execute exactly who you’ve trained yourself to be.

10. Don’t quit when it gets uncomfortable.
Progress often shows up right after the moment you want to stop.

I’m not suggesting everyone train for an Ironman.

But I am convinced that everyone should choose one hard thing—something that demands consistency, humility, and patience—and see it through.

The lessons last far longer than the finish line.

More soon,
T.A.M.