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Fireman Rob Verhelst

Permission to "Flip the Switch" to mentally LIVE.

Updated: May 27, 2020


When I think of mental strength, I think about humility, strength of self, persistence to a cause, belief in dreams, and the willingness to push the limits to experience new limits. Mental strength is a belief in the possible while not knowing if you can or if anyone can, yet you want to believe because it is your path.

2019 Ironman New Zealand

I have lived my life with the belief that I will get things wrong and sometime very wrong, but it is up to me to create the opportunity for success. To create the possible through my actions and efforts, knowing that no matter what is thrown at me I will respond.

This is not ever a one time response since life is a constant. You can’t pause it to gather your thoughts; you can’t slow it down to make the right decision always. You need to believe in yourself, drive forward with your mind right, clear, yet driven by the purpose. Your mind can either hold you back or create a reality that isn’t true in the physical sense, but plausible in the purpose driven mind.

Throughout my journey in the Guinness World Record year, I constantly had to convince my mind of simpler thoughts to enable the bigger possibilities. If I had thought about the year as a whole, there would have been even more doubt in my mind. Each race offered its own difficulties and challenges to overcome physically and mentally. My physical body was breaking down the whole year from the heat, pain, time and sheer exhaustion, yet my mind kept me focused and on task, both at home and on course.

The ability to “flip the switch” is what makes life in my world plausible. I can’t live with my mind focused on the demons and situations that challenged my mental stability. I can’t just focus on my tasks, whether in Fireman Rob World or the fire department, because I would miss out on the life I have in front of me. My family needs my mind to focus on the now, on what life is about. It isn’t about medals or accolades or stuff or physical strength, it is about writing that book of life in your head that you were there to live in person.

No matter how many photos or videos you take it is the memories that are ingrained in your mind that matter the most. Your life is meant to be lived. Your mind creates your world whether you like it or not, it is about time you figure out how you create it and manage to make it the best possible. Everyone says the mind is a terrible thing to waste, and I agree yet I would go one further and say it will kill you if you don’t continue to use it to move forward.

Mental Strength Keys

  • Know your YOU

  • You will constantly evolve throughout your life and you must be willing to flow with it

  • My Guinness World Record season was filled with challenges that made me realize that life’s non linear path creates greater opportunities to discover and understand what your value is and how you can value it more.

  • My family gave up a lot for me to realize this challenge

  • Time, money, sleep, events

  • I lived my life without me for so long, hiding behind the fears & the sadness of events that had happened.

  • Workout your mind

  • Don’t give up your strength

  • Never stop learning, even if it is just little

  • Your mind is your biggest asset and muscle

  • Screw conventional intuition

  • Your thoughts may be off base, yet don’t negate them for popular opinion

  • The best thoughts are ones that need action based explanation

  • The best ideas come from the most unconventional beliefs

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