All or Something

All or nothing, black and white, yes or no, in or out – words we hear, meant to motivate, typically compelling us to choose the former of each pair. The message is that there’s no middle ground, so BE ALL IN with ALL.

Unless…

You change your perspective and adopt the concept of All or Something.

This is one of my mighty ingredients in my secret sauce. It is so vitally important to my success, it almost looks like All or Nothing.

You see, it isn’t about the Nothing versus the Something, but rather the adjustment of the All.

Let’s dissect a couple of examples.

Arbitrary All

Let’s say you’ve been told you should be able to squat 500lbs at the gym – an arbitrary goal not specific to your body or abilities. At this point in time you’re only able to squat 50lbs. That is all you can do, period. Do you walk away from the arbitrary 500lbs, “oh, well, I can’t do it”? Or, do you adjust for your All, taking your 50lbs as Something, and create a more realistic expectation to work towards?

This is exactly me at the gym every leg day. I actually have no idea what an arbitrary number would be for me because I’ve completely adjusted for my Something. With my current surgery/recovery status and metal discomfort, there’s NO WAY I can lift heavy! NO WAY! SO, do I walk away and say “oh, well, I guess I won’t lift legs until this is all over”? All or nothing? Again, NO WAY! I choose to adjust to my Something and recalibrate my All from there. Now, for each leg day, I do what I can, Something, which is much more productive than Nothing.

Less Arbitrary All

Bike workouts, specifically Power Zone rides, are instructor designed, but the actual output is specific to your own body based on your own test. So, arbitrary in actual workout design, but specific to personal abilities. All things being equal, each ride should be totally doable.

Except, some days we are simply not at our best – maybe we slept poorly the night before, or we need a rest day, whatever. We are human.

What do you do on days like this? Do you push through the ride, risking injury – All? Do you get off and walk away – Nothing? Or, do you adjust, ride lower in the zones, modify for what feels appropriate for the day – Something?

This has been MANY of my recovery bike rides on the Peloton. It would be easy to not ride at all until it felt great and I could perform my best, but I choose to drop the ego and show up, make the pedals go around and around, and do Something. All of these Somethings add up to success, a new, recalibrated All.

Specific All

Let’s say you’re on a diet, prescribed for you by a nutritionist. There are specific goals and it has been designed around your exact metabolism and nutritional needs. It is precise to the ounce and gram. You stick to it.

Except, for that one day when you don’t, having a bite of cake at a party. What happens next? Do you decide “oh, well, I blew it, may as well eat whatever the rest of the day”? (or similar) Or, do you adjust, give yourself grace, accept that as a Something moment, and jump right back in?

The All or Something mentality really shines in moments like this. 

When the thought of “I already blew it so I may as well…” arises, PAUSE. That is All or Nothing talking. Throw it away and reframe it as All or Something.

All or Nothing is so ingrained in us, reframing as All or Something feels really hard in this food case, doesn’t it?

All or Something is so helpful in moments like this. Something is better than Nothing, and Something gets us back to All faster and more easily.

Be All In

Both All or Nothing and All or Something are different than Be All In. You can Be All In with both.

People wonder all the time how I’m able to stay in the shape I’m in through all of my surgeries, even progressing through my recoveries. This is exactly how. I am ALL IN with my All or Something. So much so that it looks like ALL or ALL, ALL the TIME. But, really, I’m constantly adjusting for whatever my Somethings are and going All In with whatever they may be.

Read that again.

It boils down to accepting my obstacles as the way, adjusting for what my current All is on any given day (Something), and giving whatever that is my ALL.

Healing and All or Something

I’m at a stage of All or Something in my healing right now. My 6 month expectation was totally dashed. It felt terrible and momentarily put me in an All or Nothing mindset. “It didn’t heal as expected, therefore it probably didn’t heal at all. We may as well start over.”

Now that I’ve recalibrated my expectations and reframed my mindset, I’m at “It didn’t heal as wished for and the expectation was not realistic or specific. But, it is healing. That is Something. Let’s adjust the All, move forward with the Something, and eventually we will get there.” 

All or Nothing is limiting.

All or Something allows for shifts.

Nothing is the way to nothing.

Something is the way to All.

What is something in your life that you can apply the All or Something mindset to? GO! Reframe! Embrace SOMETHING!

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