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What do you think has been the key to your success as an endurance athlete?

Two key factors to my success as an endurance athlete have been finding purpose and being willing to feel embarrassed in order to learn and grow.
 
Transcript: "What do you think has been the key to your success as an endurance athlete? Well, there are a few things. The first thing for me was Finding purpose. So I needed a purpose to be able to attempt something as long as a half Ironman and then eventually a full Ironman Triathlon and for me, the purpose was honoring my Fallen brothers that I lost in Iraq and I needed something to do with a grief. And, and the trauma that I was still carrying from deploying to Iraq. And In 2004 another key to my success has been being willing to feel embarrassed and but I what I mean by this is trying something new and being willing to look a little foolish. If I don't do it right the first time this is applied specifically to learning how to swim proficiently with the US Masters team, where I used to live in Walnut Creek. And I showed up and there were a couple Olympians on the team hand. I was new to swimming and I said, that's okay. I'll learn all look a little bit foolish knots, okay. So finding a purpose and being willing to feel embarrassed."
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Mike Ergo

Marine Corps Infantry - Veteran Mental Health
What do you think has been the key to your success as an endurance athlete? Well, there are a few things. The first thing for me was Finding purpose. So I needed a purpose to be able to attempt something as long as a half Ironman and then eventually a full Ironman Triathlon and for me, the purpose was honoring my Fallen brothers that I lost in Iraq and I needed something to do with a grief. And, and the trauma that I was still carrying from deploying to Iraq. And In 2004 another key to my success has been being willing to feel embarrassed and but I what I mean by this is trying something new and being willing to look a little foolish. If I don't do it right the first time this is applied specifically to learning how to swim proficiently with the US Masters team, where I used to live in Walnut Creek. And I showed up and there were a couple Olympians on the team hand. I was new to swimming and I said, that's okay. I'll learn all look a little bit foolish knots, okay. So finding a purpose and being willing to feel embarrassed.