Hey Reader,

We’ve become so used to challenging ourselves to do more to help us grow.

Do more reps, put in more hours, and generate more output.

Most people start to feel they’re regressing, even with all the increased efforts they put in.

Because somewhere along the line, we’re now accumulating effort rather than improving.

Improvement comes from the right amount of stress, not too little, not too much, or you won’t really grow.

In today’s issue, we uncover how to keep evolving without losing yourself.

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🗯️ I was actually getting slower…

I started training for Leadville 2025 in January.

One of the most grueling 100-mile races out there.

This isn’t my first rodeo. I know my body, and I’ve mastered what it can take.

In January, I started training a lot… and I wasn’t getting injured, but I was actually getting slower in some of my runs.

I was training more and getting less out of it because I was doing a bit too much.

And I realized you need to stress enough to adapt.

But if you stress too much… you regress.

Not just in fitness, but in life, business, parenting, and leadership.

It’s a principle most elite performers ignore until their body or business forces them to listen.

I dialed my running back.

I’m being more intentional now. I know not every run is hard, so when it’s an easy run, I make it easy.

I save my effort for the workouts that matter, and now I’m no longer getting slower.

I’m doing less, on purpose, for more.

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🧠 Balance or burnout

It’s easy to believe that if something isn’t working, the solution is to double down.

I mean, you hear “train harder” and “push harder” a lot too, but you need to be careful.

The very effort meant to create progress can kill momentum.

You wake up at 4:45 AM to hit your third workout this week, even though your knee’s been screaming since Sunday.

Increasing your work hours to complete more activities, even though you really don’t have to.

Adding more weights to your workout routine.

Don’t get me wrong, these things can be good, but you’re probably doing it a bit too much.

It’s okay to push outside your comfort zone to help you grow.

But if you go too far, you can’t adapt to it.

You’ll get burned out, overwhelmed, or regress.

And then one day, you start to feel you’re no longer getting better.

The clarity you had when you started and the satisfaction you got as you progressed are gone.

That’s what happens when we don’t know when to pause.

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❤️ Growth comes from the right level of stress

You need to stress enough to adapt. But if you stress too much, you regress.

Biologically and psychologically, we need stress to evolve.

But only the right amount.

Too little, and there’s no adaptation.

Too much can burn out your purpose.

When you chase growth without too much pressure, your progress becomes a lot clearer and more consistent.

You realize you’re actually making quality progress without always being overly exhausted.

You’ll become more purposeful, you’ll have the discipline to go light when that’s what’s required.

You’ll realize not everything requires your maximum effort.

You’ll gain the full reward of your stress in just the right amount to improve you.

So yeah, go hard, but don’t overdo it.

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🤲 Less is more

I understand how it feels to put so much effort into something and not get much result in return.

Here are 3 simple ways I realigned my actions.

You should try them too.

1. Find the one thing you’re overdoing. What areas are you pushing harder but regressing instead of growing?
2. Find out why. Take time to diagnose why you’re not seeing the necessary result. What could be the problem? Too much weight? Too much workload? Too much stress? Remember, the answers you seek are right within you. Once you have a hypothesis, it’s time to test.
3. Adjust the ‘dose’ and observe the outcomes. Cut it down. Reduce the stress. Give your body, mind, and soul time to recover so you can see results. It could mean shorter meetings or saying no to just one extra thing.

Track your growth going forward, and you’ll be amazed at your growth.

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🎯 Growing or regressing?

Where in your life are you overtraining?

Where are you pouring in effort without seeing the return?

In what aspects are you burned out and exhausted with not as much progress as you visualized?

Burnout is feedback from your body, mind, and spirit telling you to dig deep and course correct.

The goal should be about becoming a better you, not just doing more.

Like Anne Lamott says, “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.”

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With appreciation,

Huw

Huw Edwards Founder & CEO, h3.xyz​

Whenever you're ready, here are 2 ways I can help you:

1. Join my free #75Hard Community: for those inspired to undertake the transformative #75hard program to build mental toughness for greater achievements. You also get to be surrounded by other overachievers at different levels of the program.
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2. Later this year, I will be launching an exclusive new mastermind for founders and CEOs on how to become unstoppable, unfuckwithable, and unapologetically live up to your potential. I share 10 years of experience leading organizations, buying businesses, starting companies, and doing crazy endurance feats. This program sets the stage for a new era of empowered elite CEOs & entrepreneurs.

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Book a free Clarity​ Call to see if you are fit for the program.