Performance versus Potential

The word ‘performance’ makes me cringe.

It brings me back to high school swim meets. Spending time before a race visualizing a qualifying time that would earn me a spot in the State swim meet. Then diving off the blocks and falling apart. The weeks, months, years of practice completely escaping me. Anxiety and overthinking taking over.

Potential, I can get behind. Everyone has potential.

With my swimmers, I cultivate curiosity, resilience, and a growth mindset. The ability to find sensations in your body in the water. Shake off the judgement that gets in the way of just being in your body, in the water. Noticing limiting language and opening the mind to possibility.

In my own journey, I’m coming to realize the need to embrace performance. Accept that past performance isn’t an indicator of lack of potential.

They feed each other.

Are you trying to perform without considering potential? This can lead to injury or burnout.

If you know where you’re heading, performance can help you evaluate where you are. Create stepping stones toward where you want to go. And prove the progress that you make along the way.

Together: potential is your guide. Performance gets you there.

I hear you saying, “but sometimes I just want to go for a swim with my friends.”

“I want to vacate my mind and be in the water.”

Or “swimming is my therapy.”

And that’s the truth.

What if you considered this ability to just swim as part of your potential? No everyone can just go for a swim.

What if this was a hint that there’s more there?

What if you leaned into the lessons from the water?

How could this inform your potential?

Go for a swim. Evaluate how you are performing today. Then open yourself up to the possibilities of your potential.

Join us at The Water’s Edge.

The space between

The other day something ordinary stopped me in my tracks. I observed the moment between thinking, “I want a snack” and actually walking over to the pantry.

I really saw it: the space where choice lives!

Of course, this space between intention and action always exists.

Sometimes it’s barely perceptible – the moment you feel an itch your hand moves to scratch it without a second thought.

Other times it stretches into a vast canyon. I intend to go for a swim, but the gap widens minute by minute until life’s demands rush to fill it.

This awareness is a double edged sword. There are times when examining every decision would paralyze us – like wavering on whether it’s time for bed or not. Automatic pilot serves us well here; our habits become our allies. Going to bed at a consistent time each night allows us to be our best self the next day.

But there are moments when stepping into this gap – this space between intention and action – becomes crucial for growth. Like a swimmer pausing to feel the water before the next stroke, this awareness allows us to move with greater purpose.

Here are some ways to navigate this space mindfully:

Pause for alignment: ask, is this action in line with my deeper goals?

Reflect on readiness: am I forcing action, or is it the right time?

Clarify the desired outcome: define success before rushing forward.

Trust the process: Sometimes a longer gap allows organic momentum to build.

Create space for observation: wait for a moment to feel the water before initiating the next stroke so that you can move yourself through the water more effectively.

Where are you running on autopilot? Where might you benefit from widening the gap between intention and action, creating a space for growth?

When do you need your habits to carry you through, and when do you need to pause and feel the water?

Share in our community!

It feels like a chore.

I struggle to build and stick with daily habits.

I resent that every app wants me to track streaks – even my meditation app! Nothing disrupts my effort it be mindful like a pop up asking if I meditated offline yesterday.

And yet, I can’t figure out how to stay engaged without tracking.

I signed up for a 30 day yoga challenge and actually completed it! When it was over, a sense of pride washed over me, also relief. I was so glad that I didn’t have to find time to do yoga the next day.

I’m not one to beat myself up. A glass half full type, I reflect on the things that get in the way and identify ways to apply myself tomorrow.

But this seeming inability to habit my way through everyday makes me feel inadequate. Like I can’t “embrace the process”.

What does that even mean?

I asked ChatGPT: what does “embrace the process” mean?

And the GPT said: “Embrace the process” means fully committing to and finding value in the journey of growth, learning, or achievement, rather than just focusing on the end result. It encourages patience, persistence, and a mindset that sees challenges and setbacks as opportunities for improvement rather than obstacles.

It went on to tell me that as a SwimMastery Coach, open water swimmer, with decades of experience working in technology who had kids later in life – that this message could resonate deeply with me.

Yet here I am at war with the words.

I absolutely find value in the journey – I love the growth and learning of each achievement. “Patience and persistence” is the mantra I recite to my kids when they struggle to stick to finishing a puzzle or solving a problem.

But I feel like I struggle with embracing the process everyday. People who do the same thing everyday for years seem like a different breed of human to me.

Yet we both get by. We’re both still here. We’re both gifted this one life to find out what we’re capable of.

And I know I’m capable of more.

It occurred to me the other day, what if everything – literally EVERYTHING – is “the process”?

What if I stop over analyzing it and just strive to my best self in every moment?

If I have jelly beans on the couch instead exercising, I’m probably not being my best self. If I scroll social media instead of building personalized sets for my swimmers, I’m probably not being the best coach. If I check my phone while my husband is telling me about his day at work, I’m probably not being the best partner. If I interrupt my kids story to tell them what I think, I’m probably not being the best mom.

What if I am embracing the process? What if each choice I make in each moment is a reflection of the person I want to be?

Oh wait. It is.

I’m exploring creative ways to incent myself to do the things that make me feel like I’m being my best self in each moment.

And somewhere, deep down, I think that I too might like to keep a streak. I just want to do it myself. Rather than have an app remind me.

We explore ideas like this, and how to lead richer, fuller lives, in the water and on land in community. I’d love to see you in there.​

You know that feeling you get when you…

…come out of an unproductive meeting.

…finally break away from scrolling social media.

…peel yourself off the couch after binge watching a few too many episodes.

…get sucked into your phone and can’t even remember why you picked it up.

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Malaise.

Discontent.

Annoyed.

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This is the opposite of flow. Too much of this leads to an unfulfilling hour, day, week, month, year(s)!

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I’ll be the first to raise my hand.

I’m guilty of bringing my phone to the toilet so that my kids don’t see me scrolling social media. Sticking around for one more episode when I know that I would rather be sleeping. Checking one more time to see if that post got any likes.

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How can we get more fulfillment – more flow?

Intention.

Focus.

Purpose.

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Not fleeting. But through and through.

If you’re a swimmer, you might already be familiar with the satisfaction you get when you come out of the water (if not, let’s talk). Swimming facilitates flow because, for the most part, you’re free of distractions – there’s no TV, your cell phone is stashed away in your bag (I hope), and your boss and kids can’t bug you.

Flow is the theme of the month for February. Join the Monthly Welcome Call on Monday at noon Pacific!

When we know why, we are more likely to do it.

Since I hung up my competitive swim cap at 17, I’ve struggled with discipline. What was the foundation of my life, daily workouts on land and in the water, disappeared.

I was rudderless in an ocean of opportunity.

But even when swimming faded into the background, the lessons it taught stayed with me. As a youth, swimming gave me structure and a clear purpose—to train, to improve, to compete. That purpose guided my days and shaped my actions.

Without purpose I struggled to find discipline.

In fits and starts I flexed the discipline muscle and discovered that I could double down and do hard work. I learned that I was outcome driven and functioned well (enough) on little sleep. I could stay up late to cram for a test or put in long hours all weekend to meet a deadline at work.

But without a deadline or a deliverable, I was untethered.

This became clear when I started signing up for longer swims. Unlike studying for a test or turning around deliverables for a project, I couldn’t cram for a 10K or 20K swim. These longer endeavors required sustained effort and a deeper motivation. I came to realize that without a clear ‘why,’ my discipline wavered, making it harder to stay committed to the process

Its purpose that drives us forward and helps us embrace challenges.

In each phase of my life, finding purpose has been the key to rediscovering focus and harnessing the discipline that I learned as a youth.

Whether navigating the demands of work, training for a long swim, or starting a business, having a meaningful goal gave me direction. It reminded me why I was showing up every day, even when the work was hard.

Purpose gives our efforts meaning. When we know our “why,” we’re more likely to stick with it—whether in the pool or in life.

What’s your “why”? Join the conversation.

The means matters.

There are many lenses through which to view the world, why swimming?

Have you ever had a moment where you lost track of time? Whether your ideas flowed effortlessly in your writing, your perfectly coordinated movements allowed you to bound down the trail, you got lost in the notes and rhythms playing an instrument, or had a rich and thought provoking conversation with a dear friend?

That feeling—where mind and body are seamlessly synchronized—is called flow.

Flow is more than just a magical moment. It’s a powerful state of focused presence where you perform at your best, free from distractions and judgement.

While there are many ways to experience flow, water is the perfect teacher. And the beauty of swimming is that it doesn’t just help you experience flow—it teaches you how to access it, in the water and beyond.

The water demands your attention.

Your breath becomes your anchor.

And repetition fosters rhythm.

Not I.

If you’re a seasoned swimmer and you find yourself distracting yourself when you swim – processing your day or recalling the lyrics from a favorite song – I challenge you to still your mind. Focus on the sensations on your skin, the rhythm of your breath, each movement of your body.

But how?

If you’re newer to the sport, let go of the shoulds, can’ts, won’ts and don’ts.

Just be – in the water.

Float if it comes naturally or find a floaty! Tune into your breath. Experiment with filling and releasing air from your lungs. Play with exhaling through your nose or mouth. Observe how it feels the same or different in your body with each experiment.

Opportunity knocks.

Carve out time for presence in the water.

What other areas of your life can you gift this same presence?

When you explore presence on land, how it is the same or different than when you’re in the water?

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Share your experience in our community. Make 2025 the year that you find flow in your swimming and in your life.

How it starts…

Do you swim to manage stress?

Get healthy?

Workout with others?

Immerse yourself in nature?

Connect with your body in the water?

As a vehicle to meet others and travel the world?

Because it’s a challenge that you don’t want to back down from?

Where it can take you.

For me, what started as a challenge – I was terrified of what lurked in the open water, but didn’t want that fear to define me. Grew into a love of being, literally, immersed in nature – the rhythm of the seasons, the genesis of a day. Which led to connection with people and places around the world. And fostered the connection between my mind and my body to move easily through this magical medium that is 60% of our bodies and 70% or our earth and find flow.

Swimming has grown into a rich personal journey exploring swimming as a metaphor for life.

A lens through which to practice:

Tackling big challenges.

Speaking to myself with kindness.

Persevering through tough times.

Releasing overwhelm and embracing focus.

Taking action, even when fear feels paralyzing.

Cultivating trust in myself and others.

Creating a supportive team.

Leaning on others.

Redefining “failure”.

Why the metaphor matters.

In those moments when life gets you down, you can flex that muscle that you built in the water.

Whether you’re looking to cultivate determination, conquer discomfort, own fear, build resilience, deepen connection, foster mindfulness, experience beautiful places and cultures, amplify your experience in the natural world, or explore personal limits and find flow, let the water be your teacher and connect with community on the same path.

Make it matter.

Do you make resolutions? Do they stick?

The energy of a new year- a clean slate – tempts us to resolve for the change that we’ve been meaning to make.

But resolutions rarely stick. You need a new strategy with a clear vision of where to go and why!

Make this the year that you support yourself in the progress you seek to make.

Change is HARD – let’s do it together!

What does swimming mean to you?

Do you swim for fitness?

Swim for fun?

Swim your frustrations away?

Make 2025 the year that you find meaning in the monotony. Make each swim matter and transform your life with the lessons from the water.

Our theme for January: Dive into your Why

Join the Welcome Party TODAY at noon Pacific.

The first Anything Goes Weekly Q&A is Tomorrow, January 7th at 2PM Pacific.

Join us for The Best Year Yet in Swimming (and in life)!

Join the Community

Already a member? Invite a friend!

Join us at Noon Pacific Today!

Dare to Dream

Whether you prefer salt water with sandy beaches, the lake you visit every summer, or your local pool, make 2025 the year that you dare to live your dreams.

Not just in the water, but in everything you do!

The lessons learned from the water have the capacity to transform how you approach challenges, foster resilience, and connect deeply with yourself and the world around you.

If you apply those lessons to your life, great things happen!

But it’s hard to do on your own. Join a community of swimmers committed to being intentional, in everything they do, in order to find meaning in the monotony. If you haven’t already, download the guide: Bring Meaning to the Monotony​

Our theme for January: Dive into your Why

Join the Welcome Party on January 6th at noon Pacific.

The first Anything Goes Weekly Q&A on January 7th at 1PM Pacific.

With the renewed energy of a new year, join us for The Best Year Yet in Swimming (and in life)!

Join the Community

Already a member? Invite a friend!

Thank you, that was fun!

Keep Connecting in 2025

What a great time reflecting on 2024 and connecting with so many of you. We got to know each other a bit by breaking out and then reconnecting to share each other’s victories before turning our sights on 2025. What do you want more of next year?

Watch the Replay

Download my hot of the presses Goal Setting Guide: Find Meaning in the Monotony to align your goals with your values and vision.

Download the Guide

Join us in the Swim Smart Community so that we can help you make 2025 the Best Year Yet in swimming (and in life)! Our January theme is Dive Into Your Why. Engage for weekly Q&A, challenges, inspiring stories, and so much more!

Dive In!

Find a swim near you!

Here are a few resources:

Open Water Swim Events: Open Water Swim Events in the USA​

Ray’s Notebook: Open Water Swims: Ray’s Notebook: Open Water Swims 2025​

Ray’s Notebook: Yet More Swims: Ray’s Notebook: Open Water Swims 2025 — more​

Having trouble deciding what’s next? Book a free Discovery Call, I’d love to chat with you to ensure that you’re getting everything you want out of your swimming.

Book a Call

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your support, encouragement, and engagement this year. It’s been a year to remember! I can’t wait to find out where you swim next.

With Gratitude,

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