Dear friend,

A fun idea to ponder: aren’t you curious what your limits are?

I had this idea while at the gym when I got a new personal record for my “one rep max” for 95lbs Dumbell press (before my maximum was 90 lbs).

This is what is fun for me in powerlifting: I’m just curious to see what my limits are, and whether or not I can surpass above what I think I’m capable of.

For example, when I was in college and started powerlifting at age 18, I could only do 135 pounds. I then wondered whether I could Deadlift 200 pounds. I then did it. Then the next goal was 300 pounds. Hit that. Then 400 pounds. Hit that when I was 28 years old.

The interesting thing is this:

Whenever I thought I hit a limit, I was somehow able to surpass it.

Which made me realize:

We can achieve more than we think we’re capable of, and we’re much stronger than we think we are.

I think about this a lot in business, life, photography, art, fitness, etc:

What are my limits?

I’m just curious to see what my limits are.

What does it mean to test your limits?

Spiderman kid pentax

To me, testing your limits means pushing beyond your maximum-perceived limit, or your prior limit.

For example in powerlifting this is quite easy; you just try to increase your “one rep maximum” per exercise. If you can see you can lift heavier stuff week-over-week, you’re going beyond your limits and maximum.

How to test your limits in art and life

Now with art and life, this becomes more difficult to judge.

For artwork, I think it means to take bigger risks with your artwork. This can mean taking more risky photos in street photography (of “scary” people), or it might mean taking more ambitious compositions by getting closer, integrating more layers, and more action, while keeping it simple and elegant.

For business, testing your limits might mean increasing your rates or prices, or perhaps going into new or unknown territory. To try out a new niche, or to create a new niche/category of your own.