Finding Ultra by Rich Roll

The Book in Three Sentences

An autobiography chalked full of lessons and meaning if you’re open and willing. As a former professional swimmer, Rich Roll had a head start on making an athletic comeback, yet he had to challenge his way of living to overcome alcohol and unhappiness. This book will hit the mark for those willing to make a change in their life, diet, and question everything; but runs the risk of sounding inauthentic to anyone with a closed mindset. 

Favourite quotes

The goal isn’t perfection, it’s consistent progress forward. In times of trouble, take the next best action, and move on. (paraphrased from p.257)

Journaling

Devote some time precious time to quiet reflection—meditation followed by journaling (Rich dedicates his morning to this). Prioritize calm rumination as a daily practice. The pen and paper hold magic powers: it makes it real. Build on the first entry daily, and protect this time as sacred. You will have a more intuitive sense of what to do next. “A convicted sense of clarity, infused with purpose.” (p224)

Setting Goals

“You’ve committed to the interior work. You’ve invested in reframing the story you tell yourself about yourself. You’re meditating and journaling. You’re better able to disengage from the idle chatter of the pesky thinking mind. Slowly you are developing a more deliberate sense of objective clarity regarding your emotional landscape, your limiting thoughts and behaviours, and the greater potential that awaits you.” (p.242)
Note: I love that this comes before you even set a goal. This is a direct quote from the book because he just nailed it.

Doing the above exercise allows you to set the right goal for yourself because you’ve put in the work and can now trust that “your instincts are trustworthy enough to set an optimal trajectory for yourself.” (p.242)

Rich Roll expands to Peter Drucker’s famous SMART criteria for goal setting (Specific/ Measurable/ Attainable/ Relevant/ Time-bound) to SMARTS. The second “S” stands for service-oriented, adding a layer of depth and effectively bringing the system into the next generation. (pp.244–245)

Although a goal must carry great personal meaning, in my experience, the pursuit of that goal is best served when it is also in service to something beyond the self. This goes beyond the traditional ideals of “service” to include sharing your personal wisdom and experience that others may find useful. Taking this approach will help keep you honest and infuse your quest with purpose and meaning that transcends self-seeking. (pp.244–245)

“Do not covet your progress. Instead, give yourself freely and selflessly. Service is the magic bullet that fortifies our lives with meaning. It provides a transcendent sense of purpose. (p.261)

In the words of Kahlil Gibran, “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.”

Getting started

Don’t Overcomplicate it

Stop asking questions about all the gear you’ll need to do something. Yes, it’s important to do your own research, take responsibility for your decisions, experiment, and find what works best for you. But, understand that ultimately it’s not important and it’s a crutch. (p.254)

Stop unnecessarily overcomplicating things. Understand that this is a fear. It’s a natural reaction to placing yourself outside your comfort zone—but it’s not your friend. Just begin and in due time all your questions will be answered. (p.255)

Mood follows Action

A simple mantra you can use to get going. How you feel about doing something doesn’t need to get in the way of doing the deed. Feels are just that—feelings. If you wait until you feel like doing something, you’ll remain inert. Once you get going, you can feel good about starting it and doing it.

The goal is consistent progress forward, not perfection

Even if your 60-minute workout gets cut down to 30 minutes, don’t abandon it because it doesn’t measure up to your ideal schedule. Instead, take the next best action, do it, and move on. “It’s fine because the goal isn’t perfection, it’s consistent progress forward. (p.256)

Understand that failure indicates courage. It means you had the bravery to test yourself, and the audacity to step outside your comfort zone. Congratulate yourself for trying. (p.258)