Run Work Live: Think Like an Elite Athlete & Harness the Power of Jealousy

By @runnerjmd | March 25, 2025

Happy Tuesday! Here is one running tip, one life hack and one quote to consider this week…

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Running tip

Elite endurance athletes aren’t just physically stronger—they’re more mentally flexible too.

A 1970s study found that elite runners have higher cognitive flexibility than amateurs. That means they’re better at adapting their thoughts when things go sideways.

And in a marathon, rough patches are guaranteed.

Newer runners often get stuck on a single problem. Pain in the hip? That becomes the only thing they can think about—until panic rises and they’re forced to slow down.

Elites respond differently.
They cycle through a mental Rolodex of strategies until something works.

Pain in the hip? They might:
– Try a mantra (“My training prepared me for this”)
– Focus on a spot up ahead and run to it
– Actively let their mind wander or space out
– Shift posture (“tall spine, relaxed shoulders”)
– Channel a running hero from their youth and borrow their grit

The best part? Cognitive flexibility is a skill.​
The more you practice it—especially in moments of discomfort—the sharper it gets.

And yes, it carries over to real life, too.

This idea and much more on episode 109 of the Farewell podcast.

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Life hack

Jealousy never works the way we want it to.
But feeling it? Totally normal. And surprisingly useful.

Jealousy can act like a compass, pointing toward something you want—but haven’t given yourself permission to pursue.

Next time someone triggers that jealous feeling, try reframing the story in your head. Ask yourself: What unmet need is coming to the surface?

Jealous of someone’s new car?
Maybe it’s not the car itself—but the status it represents.
And maybe it’s not even about status—but your deeper sense of self-worth.
Is the real fix buying a car? Or doing some honest inner work?

This mindset shift changed everything for me in my Instagram creator journey. I used to get so triggered by other people’s success. But over time, I realized: they had put in the reps. They honed their craft, they built their audience, they earned it.

My jealousy eventually transformed into admiration—and motivation. Now, instead of resenting their success, I’m inspired to raise my own game.

If you want to go deeper, check out The Mountain Is You—that’s where I first came across this idea. It helped me flip the script.

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Quote

If you want to know what you truely want out of life, look at the people who you are jealous of. No, you may not want exactly what they have, but the feeling that you are experiencing is anger that they are allowing themselves to pursue it while you are not.

- Brianna Wiest

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Wishing you a great week filled with great runs. Keep the momentum going! 🏃‍♀️💼🌟