The Rule of Thirds When Chasing a Goal

A couple of weeks ago, I was mentally struggling with a to do list that seemed so daunting, I completely flopped it aside altogether. This is a pretty unusual action for me. I love completing tasks, however, the ones I created in my own mind at that moment sent me spiraling. When I have these bad days, I can feel my negativity bias kicking in. I start questioning my abilities as a physio, as a business owner, as a sister, in relationships, my body image, etc.

I came across a clip on the the Rich Roll podcast with guest Alexi Pappas, an olympic athlete, poet, and filmmaker. One lesson she shared on the episode is called The Rule of Thirds.

When she was facing a difficult training period before the Rio Olympics, her coach (Ian Dobson) told her not to worry, this was simply The Rule of Thirds. He said:

‍“When you're chasing a big goal, you're supposed to feel good a third of the time, okay a third of the time, and crappy a third of the time...and if the ratio is roughly in that range, then you're doing fine.”

I found this to be a simple rule that packs a whole lot of wisdom into an easy-to-remember package. It gives me perspective, and is a reminder that progress is not often linear. It’s usually a whole lot of nothing, and then a big leap forward. The rule is also useful for looking back at progress and assessing whether to push oneself more or less. Most importantly, it’s useful in reminding oneself in moments of pain, that unpleasantness is an essential part of the process.

So, if you feel terrible sometimes, that's not a sign you're not good enough or you're doing something wrong, or you should give up. It just means you're trying to do something ambitious. If you’re working towards a goal, and always feeling great about it, you may want to inch closer to your edge. On the flip side, if you’re having too many crappy days, it might be a sign of burnout approaching and a signal to pull back.

Above all else, The Rule of Thirds can shift our perspective on the okay days, whether that’s in relationships, a job, or chasing an athletic dream.

On the good days, “you grow your confidence” and “on the crappy days, you grow your patience, courage and resilience to stay on”.

Don’s shrug off the okay days. They are just as important to the process of growth. By shifting this mindset, we can learn to love them too.

So…show up, hold true to your vision, and enjoy the ride.

In Good Health,

Julie Ann Aueron PT, DPT

Founder, Vitality Wellness Physical Therapy