Folks,

This week, I discovered something subtle but significant. Let me give you an example: 

Effort ONE: Conscious breathwork offers profound benefits. By regulating your breath, you calm your nervous system, reducing anxiety. This practice sharpens focus, lifts mood, and significantly enhances overall well-being.

Now let’s try this: 

Effort TWO: I got into breathwork about 10-15 years ago because I couldn't blow up a balloon. I'd gone up to Leeds for a Postural Restoration Institute course. I was right on top of the material, knew all the answers, and was feeling super capable. Until we were asked to blow up a balloon with our tongues on the roof of our mouths using only nasal breathing. I was the only one who couldn't do it, and I was fuming! I spent all night practising for the next day.

I didn't care about breathwork; I cared about looking capable. After all, I was one of the fittest in the room, and yet, I couldn’t blow up a balloon.

Fast forward three months, a deep dive into Buteyko breathing, and a lot of practise, and I could finally blow up a balloon. As it turns out, I squared away my asthma, improved my posture, and found a way to dial in my emotional state — but that all came because of the question I was trying to answer, not because I cared about breathwork.

What I learned is this: Firstly, if you focus on the subject (breathwork), it’s dull. Secondly, if you worry about telling your story and the attention it brings to you (good or bad), you are missing the point. Don’t tell your story so people know who you are; use it as a lens through which people can look. 

It’s not the subject we care about, but our motivations and struggles. What’s your story? And how will you use it?

Have a great week, 

Simon

P.S. We might like to think we compete with other coaches, when in truth, we compete with ourselves. Let’s change the narrative. Join us at Coach Camp, where we hold each other and challenge each other to do better. I hope to see you there. The next event is Saturday, 31st May at Sport Wales, you can get your FREE ticket here.