How to Dream Big and Keep Going with Mario Minnaert

We are all capable of way more than we believe. To tap into our true potential and create new possibilities for ourselves, we have to allow ourselves to dream big and we have to know how to keep going. 

Today, I’m so excited to interview my coach, Mario Minnaert, who helped me train my body and my brain for the 29029 endurance event last year. In this episode, we talk about how to take the first steps, challenge your identity, problem- solve along the way, grow your possibility, and how to do it all with love.

Mario is a success and endurance coach, a podcaster, a husband and father to two beautiful little girls. He says he tries to factor love, endurance and mastery into everything he does. 

Mario recently completed a huge challenge of his own, the Ultraman, Florida, a 3-day, 321-mile ultra-triathlon. 10 years ago, he didn’t really even know how to swim, he wasn’t a runner and he didn’t own a bike. When what he just did was so far outside the realm of possibility for him. 

He talks about how by making one brave, uncomfortable decision at a time, he created new possibilities for himself. 

I want you to hear his perspective, his philosophy and his joy. Let him inspire you to dream bigger, question your stories about yourself and develop the tools to keep going.

The first step

Mario shares that simply taking the first step is a principle he tries to apply to all areas of his life, including physical challenges, his podcast and business. It’s so hard to take that first step, but once you do, you realize you are more capable than you think.

He explains that when we experience something for the first time, our brains make up all kinds of worst-case scenarios because they’re trying to protect us. We tend to be especially afraid of pain or looking dumb. 

The truth is, we all start as beginners. We all have a day one, a starting line. Over time, we can all build on our skills and confidence to take on bigger and bigger challenges.

Identity

We are just the stories we tell ourselves, and we get to choose those stories. 

We all have moments where we feel like we don’t belong, like we aren’t capable of achieving what we want. That’s when it’s important to have the tools to work through those stories and take on the strong identity that you want.

One of Mario’s favorites for when he’s trying something new: “I may not know exactly how it’s gonna work out, but I’m the type of person who figures it out. I’m the type of person who finishes what I start.”

Every step along the way from his first sprint triathlon today, Mario says he tries to look for something that he loves, something he wants to experience and something that scares him a little. He says, for him, this is the sweet spot.

Think about where you want to be six months or a year from now and write a story of what you want your life to look like. How can you start to reinforce the belief that you are that person? Possibility has to exist in your imagination before you can bring it into the world.

Problem Solving

One of the things I admire most about Mario is his ability to solve problems. In pretty much every event, something goes wrong. The point, though, is not to have a problem-free event. The point is to do what he can to finish.

He says a big part of it is knowing how his story ends. He may not know what happens between the beginning and the end, but he knows he will cross the finish line.

When you know how the story ends and you know that obstacles will come up on the way, you can prepare for it. Mario likes to play through different scenarios prior to a race and imagine himself overcoming them. And on the actual race day, it is an experiment. Trying different things to help you continue moving forward.

We all start with a plan, but things usually don’t go exactly as we expect. When we’re too attached to the way things “should” go, it can make it harder to adjust. When something goes wrong, it’s time to make a new plan. And we can always do this based on whatever information we have at the time. We can try something new to move toward the same goal.

The question shifts from, “What if I can’t do it?” to “What do I want to try next?”

What is possible for you

Mario shares that his definition of what is possible has expanded every single time he’s challenged himself. 

He says, “Your definition of what’s possible is relative to where you are in a given moment. And really, the best way to discover what's possible for you is to put yourself in a slightly uncomfortable position, to just test yourself and ultimately discover for yourself and realize what you're capable of.”

We grow our possibility one challenge at a time. One step at a time.

Love

Isn’t endurance about being tough, being gritty, suffering? Perhaps the biggest lesson I have learned from Mario is that it’s actually all about love.

Mario believes the greatest things in the world are created with love. 

First, we decide our goal based on what we love and what we’d love to experience.

Then, when things get hard, when you’re stripped of everything, Mario shares that he’s ultimately left with gratitude - for the people who are there supporting him, for the ability to put himself in hard situations, for how far he’s already come.

And that deep gratitude leads to love. Love is what helps us persevere, and doing hard challenges with people you love is the most rewarding.

Crossing that finish line is equal parts grit and gratitude.

Through the challenges of your life, you will surprise yourself with love. 

You’ll Learn:

• How to appreciate where you are right now (you’ll look back on your first steps with so much gratitude in the future)
• The concept of “the gap and the gain”
• An exercise to help you create your identity and open up possibilities

Connect with Mario:

• Follow Mario on Instagram @mario.minnaert
• Listen to the “Talking Endurance and Mastery” podcast  
• Visit his website