This week I wanted to share some thoughts on the ebb and flow of training.

These ideas stem from what many of us see when we look at other athletes thriving. From the outside, we see motivated, disciplined people. Perfect training. Ideal body types. Flawless nutrition. It looks like winning on every level.

And while we all know that’s not reality, it still sneaks into our heads: their path must be easier than mine. Their life must be more conducive to success. Their results must be inevitable.

The truth? We all face friction.

Friction in training, in life, in mindset. Sometimes predictable, sometimes consuming. But it’s how we manage that friction that determines our success.

Every athlete faces it. The ones who thrive simply learn how to work with it.

Adapted from “The Dichotomy of Leadership” by Jocko Willink

Jocko’s book explores the balance between opposing forces; how leadership demands constant recalibration.
Competition is no different. Whether it’s the conversation you have with yourself or how you approach your goals, success lives in the tension between two sides.

So here’s my version: (adapted from Part 2 & 3 of The Dichotomy of Leadership)

The Dichotomy of Competition​
​

Balancing the Mission

Chapter 5: Train Hard, But Train Smart

Push your limits, but do it with purpose. Growth comes from accumulating small wins and avoiding big losses.​
​Real-life application:​
Have a plan. Show up consistently. True “hard” isn’t intensity. Training hard means being disciplined. Intensity should be the least frequent part of your week. Progress is built in the steady work you do day after day.

Chapter 6: Aggressive, but Not Reckless

Adopt an aggressive mindset that seeks growth and opportunity. But avoid recklessness by having a plan and being assessing rick.
​Real-life application:​
Be deliberate. Wake up early, adjust your nutrition, find opportunities to level up. But don’t chase spontaneity. If today’s run is aerobic, stay aerobic. Save your fire for the sessions that deserve it.

Chapter 7: Disciplined, but Not Rigid

Discipline is showing up, even when you don’t want to. Rigidity is refusing to adapt when circumstances change.
​Real-life application:​
Elite athletes are disciplined, but adaptable. They train through the mundane, fuel strategically, and still pivot when needed. Every training plan is written in pencil, ready to be erased and reworked when needed.

Chapter 8: Hold People Accountable, but Don’t Hold Their Hands

Originally about leading others, but just as powerful when leading yourself.
​Real-life application:​
Be accountable to your own goals. It’s your race, not your coach’s. Own your decisions. Learn from them. Autonomy turns lessons into growth. Take ownership of communicating to your coach or reflecting on your own decisions.

Balancing Yourself

Chapter 9: A Leader and a Follower

There’s a time to follow guidance and a time to take control.
​Real-life application:​
Your coach can design the best plan in the world. Nutrition, pacing, mindset. But on race day, you make the decisions. If you’ve never taken ownership during training, you won’t know how to respond when the plan falls apart.

Chapter 10: Plan, but Don’t Overplan

Preparation is key, but flexibility wins.
​Real-life application:​
Sleep poorly? Adjust. Feel an unfamiliar soreness? Adapt. A plan provides a compass, but the course isn’t predetermined. Success depends on the ability to pivot when needed.

Chapter 11: Humble, but Not Passive

Humility means respecting the process and acknowledging how much there is to learn. But passivity means you stop chasing big goals.
​Real-life application:​
If your goal doesn’t make you humble, it’s not big enough. But if you’re so humble that you hesitate to act, you’ll fold at the first sign of friction.

Chapter 12: Focused, but Detached

Be committed to your goal, but not consumed by it. (I’ve written about this before)
​Real-life application:​
If you’re so locked into the idea of achieving something that you can’t step back and adjust, you’ll lose sight of the bigger picture. Detachment gives you clarity when emotion clouds judgment.

The Dichotomy of Competition isn’t about choosing one side over the other, it’s about mastering the space between.

The best athletes are driven but grounded.
Confident but humble.
Committed but self-aware.

That’s where consistency lives. That’s where growth happens.

If you found this article interesting, forward it to a training partner!