Stop: The Lifetime Endurance Story

I used to never stop moving.

Not because I wanted to, but because I needed to for survival. It helped me manage chronic pain, pay the bills, and be 'good enough' for my own imaginary standards. I pushed myself to the breaking point, and I broke. And it took a lot to put me back together.

My name is Tyler Greenwood, your coach at Lifetime Endurance. And below is a window into my coaching philosophy.

Sport should be for life. To support a fuller life. Sport should be an addition to give life more purpose, not an entity that defines who you are.

I have spent my life trying to 'define' myself. I picked a label for who I was and tried to be the best at it. Once I became the best, I would be enough. I tried many labels: woodworker, student, biathlete, hockey player, runner, triathlete. I used the same thinking towards being a boyfriend, a homeowner, and a pillar of my community. I studied nine years to be a teacher, and let my whole life revolve around career and the need to prove myself. I always needed to be good enough for the kids, the parents, the colleagues, and an unachievable self-imposed standard of perfection. If I worked hard enough, did all the right things, did what I was 'supposed' to do, then I would be happy.

No surprise, but I crashed and burned, and my life became a mess. For many years, I struggled with severe depression, anxiety, loneliness, and worthlessness. Keeping up with bills and a mortgage while on a mental health leave from teaching had me spiralling. All while dealing with chronic pain from an arthritic condition that, in my teens, kept me from functionally walking. To survive I worked three jobs while still training full-time. Meanwhile falling into a worse and worse headspace.

I began to define myself with new labels: a burnout, a failure, a quitter, and never good enough. While at my lowest, I decided to try starting a coaching business. If I didn't already have enough on my plate. Nonetheless, Lifetime Endurance was born. Would this finally define me? Would this make me feel like enough?

Short answer? No. Left me with even more bills, more work, and more stress. But, developing my coaching and business philosophy forced me to reflect on pieces missing from my life. While trying to build a business to help others, I was abruptly made aware of all the things that I should have been doing for myself.

Some of the most impactful changes ended up becoming the core of my coaching philosophy. Changes which have made everything much better.

Number 1 - You NEED a Coach

Mentors need to do more than just believe in you. They help you develop a plan that you trust. They keep you accountable. They push you, and comfort you when you fall. They share in your failure, and help you turn that experience into learning and fuel for the fight. They never allow you to define yourself by a poor moment.

You need someone to remind you to think about the best possible scenario in a world where you are constantly worrying about the worst.

Number 2 - You NEED a Plan

Even on your worst day, you have something to believe in. Something that tells you exactly what to do when you are feeling lost. Something that breaks down the big picture into little, tiny, attainable steps that you can tackle one at a time, so you don't have to see the big picture all at once.

This is often something hard to develop on your own. From years down the line to even just one day, this can be overwhelming to accomplish. You are in the driver's seat, but your coach does the work connecting the big picture with the day to day.

Number Three - You NEED Rest Days

It is so easy to dig in for the fight, hold up the wall, and never give an inch. But for both sport and life, your body will not hold up if you don't rest. Rest days give you time to heal, recover, think, plan, and be inspired. Without someone keeping you accountable, it is so easy to keep your head down and grind along, giving no thought to your health.

In my experience, few people put themselves before others. They are always taking on more and neglecting themselves. You know what your body needs, but a coach won't let you ignore it.

After being at my worst for so long, feeling like there was no way out, I am now breathing lighter. Feeling joy, hope, and growing every day closer to the person I want to be. Something I only accomplished with my own coach, a progressive plan, and A LOT of new attention to rest. Because of it, I am racing faster and finding more stoke for sport every single day.

I'm going to say it again: Sport should be for life. Life is a long time. Stop labeling yourself. Stop beating yourself up over something that should bring you joy. Stop pushing yourself until your mind and body fails.

Start with a coach, a plan, and scheduled rest.