A couple of days ago, I submerged myself in a bathtub full of ice water.

My plan was to stay in for two minutes, but extreme foot cramping chased me out in forty five seconds.

Still, I’m proud of the accomplishment and fascinated by what I learned getting there.

The two week journey leading to the big plunge was a guided online course from Wim Hof, AKA The Iceman. If you’re not familiar with him, you really want to look him up. He holds twenty six world records for things like climbing Mt. Everest in his shorts, running a marathon above the Arctic Circle barefoot, and submerging himself in ice water for one hour and forty two minutes without significantly lowering his core body temperature.

What he says, and what he has proven scientifically, is that anyone can accomplish similar feats by employing a combination of three strategies.

First, a breathing technique which oxygenates the blood, lowers CO2, and alkanalizes the body.

Second, systematic exposure to cold, starting with one minute ice cold showers and building up from there.

And third, setting the mind with stern resolve to maintain the body’s equilibrium despite harsh stressors.

That last strategy is the most remarkable part of the process, because without it, it’s unlikely that one would succeed with the other two.

Up until following this set of practices over the last couple of weeks, the idea of mindset was significantly fuzzier than it is now. You and I have heard many times the importance of setting our minds and committing ourselves to an outcome. We think we get it.

But, when you repeatedly set your mind to maintain calm resolve under the spray of a 37 degree shower, and you find you become able to stay there for two minutes without screaming or shivering, even somewhat enjoying it, merely through force of resolve to do so, everything becomes much clearer.

First, we discover that we absolutely do have the capacity to direct our minds to experience stressful stimuli in a welcome way, and in so doing, to have our bodies cooperate with our desires, perhaps accomplishing super human feats.

Second, we discover the source of our resistance to that reality. For me, it was a persistent, nagging voice within that told me to stop. And when I didn’t, it produced feelings of fear, panic, and anger. I got to feel first hand that part of me that thinks it’s in charge of my existence and will do whatever it can to assert its authority.

I found it scary and depressing to recognize the power of that part of me which refuses to grant me permission to be remarkable. And yet, even as that part railed against my resolve, I continued to take each step in the process and to achieve more than I thought I could.

I think it’s like that for anyone who wants to succeed in any way, whether financially, spiritually, or physically. We have to set our objectives, walk into the flames (or the ice), and be willing to take along our “dark passenger” (to quote Dexter) until it fades away out of sheer exhaustion.

If you’re serious about success, know that your capacity is limitless, and set your mind to the task at hand. But also know that your resistance is an inevitable byproduct of striving, so expect it to rear its head along the way.

If you anticipate all that, you won’t be blindsided by the voices inside you that try to keep you from your greatness. While they may be loud and cruel and relentless, your awareness and resolve will eventually drown them out, and you’ll get to rejoice in coming to see yourself as unstoppable!