The Art of Humility: Life is filled with obstacles

This past week, I participated in an 8km obstacle race that I thought I had in the bag. As an Ironman athlete, I was confident that my endurance, strength, and experience in gruelling physical challenges would see me through. I had trained for countless hours and completed half-marathons, 5km in under 20 minutes and 2 full Ironmans in a couple of months, so this shorter, obstacle-filled race seemed like a piece of cake.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The race quickly became a humbling experience, one that I hadn’t anticipated but needed. As I reflect on it, there are some key lessons I’d like to share, particularly around preparation, humility, and understanding our limits.

 The race began well enough. I was full of energy, perhaps even a bit too cocky, given my past achievements. One of the early challenges involved ringing a bell to signal you’d completed the obstacle. In my overconfidence, I didn’t use my hand as instructed; instead, I hit the bell with my head, believing it would be a faster, more “dramatic” way to pass the test. It wasn’t. That small mistake set the tone for the rest of the race, as I was asked to repeat the task, or do 30 burpees. I chose the burpees. From there, I was introduced to obstacle after obstacle that left me struggling—physically and mentally.

As the race continued, my body tired, and my pride took hit after hit. For every mistake I made—like slipping on the ropes or failing to complete certain stations — I was punished with burpees. And believe me, I did a lot of burpees. By the end of the race, I had accumulated a total of 240 burpees, a harsh reminder of how far from prepared I really was.

To add to the humbling experience, I raced against Mr. Clarke, who is older than me but clearly much better suited for this kind of challenge. Despite my background in Ironman competitions, Mr. Clarke completed the race nearly an hour before I did. Meanwhile, it took me close to two and a half hours to finish. Every step of the way, I realised how crucial it is to be prepared for the specific event you are facing. The obstacles were nothing like the triathlons I was used to. I had made the mistake of assuming that because I had been successful in one type of race, I’d naturally do well in another.

This experience has taught me a profound lesson in humility. No matter how skilled or experienced you are, life has a way of presenting you with challenges you didn’t anticipate. It reminds us that there’s always more to learn, and that preparation is not one-size-fits-all. I may have trained for Ironman races, but I failed to tailor my preparation for the obstacles in this 8km race. I was fit, but not specifically fit for the task at hand. This race was different, requiring agility, quick reflexes, and a level of grit that I had underestimated.

For our children, and for ourselves, it’s important to remember this: being prepared is not just about general ability. It’s about understanding the specific challenges you are facing and preparing accordingly. Overconfidence can lead to mistakes, and humility allows us to grow. 

 I encourage you to share these lessons with your children. It’s easy to think that past achievements will carry us through every new challenge, but life doesn’t work that way. Whether in academics, sports, or personal goals, we should all approach each new challenge with respect and readiness, rather than relying solely on past successes.