The Art of Trying

In 2018, I finished a full Ironman triathlon — and ever since, I’ve been hooked on different sports and events.

Back then, I had no clue what triathlon was. It sounded scary. And doing a full Ironman? Even scarier.
Naturally, people get less scared when they’re with someone else.
Ever had a jump scare, and your instinct was to hug the person next to you?

That’s how I felt training for Ironman. I made sure to “hug” (figuratively) and surround myself with people who were just as scared as me — but still willing to push through. Thank you UPLB Trantados triathlon club!

Now, why am I telling you this?
Because that moment became the spark.
That moment made me believe that if I try hard enough, things will happen.
And they can for you too.

If this ever becomes a book, here’s the primer for The Art of Trying 👇

1. Try something new that takes less than 3 hours

What’s something you haven’t done before that’s quick and low effort?

Maybe watch a movie alone in a theater.
You’ve probably done it on Netflix — this is just like that, except you’re surrounded by strangers.

Not into movies?
Find a local theater show, a basketball game, or even a comedy night.
The goal is simple: try it out.

2. Try something new for self-growth

This one takes more time, but it’s worth it.

Read a book outside your usual genre.
If you’re a software engineer, maybe it’s taking an online course on a new technology (hello, AI 👋).

If you’re into sports, sign up for a 5K and train for it.
Here’s a simple 9-week plan: Couch to 5K.

3. Try something new with friends

Probably my favorite one.

Like I said earlier, things are less scary when you do them with friends.
This is where you can start something risky — something that might fail.

Turn that 5K into a marathon.
Create an accountability group to learn German.
Whatever it is, your friends will be your support system — and let me tell you, doing it together will be fun.

Whether it’s type 1, 2, or 3 fun, it’ll still be fun. Here’s the fun scale to explain what that means.

Hopefully, this inspires you to try something new.
And remember — the cost of success is failure.
As they say, try and try until you succeed.