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jasondorland5441

Dad to a butterfly child & 2 rescues. Husband to an inspiration. Author. Olympian. High performance coach. Keynote presenter. Workshop facilitator.

Why do I cry more now than I used to? I know, rig Why do I cry more now than I used to?

I know, right? Like, what the hell is up with that, anyway? And, for me, Terry Fox commercials are the worst—images of him running in the rain with some reflective piano music, and I'm toast!

In my second version as a rowing coach, I distinctly remember the first time the crew I was working with did a workout called “ten 70-strokers.” It was very much like it sounds; you row for seventy strokes at or above race pace, and you do that ten times on two minutes’ rest. If it sounds challenging, that’s because it is. 700 hard strokes that help build a quiet knowing in every athlete courageous, or crazy, enough to venture that there isn’t too much you can’t do when you have a good enough reason.

What I recall about the times I did that workout, as a teenager in high school, is that our coach, Neil Campbell, would putter off in his coach boat while we rested between pieces. It wasn’t until I began to coach that I understood why.

Watching a boatload of athletes writhe in pain, especially when you’re the catalyst, is hard to take. Knowing that the immense discomfort they’re feeling is a result of your instructions is a visceral experience. Part of why is that they trust you so much; they’re willing to endure that workout because you asked them to.

Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
Out of the mouth of babes. Last week, I had an "O Out of the mouth of babes.

Last week, I had an "Out of the mouth of babes" moment that came in the form of a question from someone much younger than I. It was a good one, and still has me reflecting.

What happened is, my wife, Robyn, booked an acupuncture appointment for me at the local college that offers a multi-year program in Chinese Medicine. I’ve been on the receiving end of those tiny needles for decades. So, no big deal, really. I always find that in the days following a treatment, I’ll experience better sleep, more energy and improved digestion. It’s what brings me back time and again.

However, this session proved a little different. When my name was called, I got up to meet the instructor as she came into the waiting room. Bright smile. Firm handshake. A good start. She turned and asked me to follow her.

As we walked towards the treatment room, I turned off my phone and tried to forget about the dozens of balls that were mid-air that day. I reminded myself this was a treatment, not a meeting—take a deep breath, Jase, and get present.

Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
I need your help. Not a question I've asked many I need your help.

Not a question I've asked many times in my life, but one I'm trying to get more comfortable with—mainly because I'm appreciating how good it feels when others ask for mine.

For anyone who has faced a moment where you were called upon to execute a task, whatever that may have been… in sports, the arts, you name it, what I believe is an accepted truth is that if you were prepared for that moment—practiced—you were more likely to knock it out of the park. “Practice makes perfect” is the mantra many of us grew up hearing.

True enough, really; I mean, if you practice a tennis serve, a dance routine, a business presentation, hell, a cookie recipe—it doesn’t matter what it is—the more times you do it, the easier and better it gets. Right?

Well, that’s where I thought I was heading with my new book, Love First: Your Journey to Self-Worth and Synergy. Why? Because I’ve done this before, as in three times before! And, for that reason, I figured, “I’ve got this! And it’ll prove my easiest book yet.”

So far? Not a chance!

Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
The Case for Being Less Useful I know, not my usu The Case for Being Less Useful

I know, not my usual "performance-centred" topic, but stay with me—being useful is golden, it is! But when being useful is how we define ourselves, that can be a slippery slope.

Wow—so this one hits a little close to home. And maybe it does for many of us. I mean, who doesn’t want to be considered “useful?” Well, actually, maybe the better question is who wants to be considered “useless?”

Not me! I like it when people call and ask for help because they consider me useful. Or, when a neighbour knocks on our front door and asks for a hand with something—that’s a nice feeling. It’s good to feel helpful, right?

Yes, I think that’s part of the message here: this isn’t about not being useful, it’s more about ensuring that our response to help comes from a healthy yes, and not a need to appear as someone who drops everything to be of assistance so that our sense of self feels, well, good enough.

Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
Stop Offering Coffee You Don’t Intend to Drink. A Stop Offering Coffee You Don’t Intend to Drink.

A 'soft rant' about commitment, integrity, and the quiet way we teach people whether our words can be trusted—and the costs are bigger than you may think.

I received some feedback the other day from a reader asking why I always write about uncomfortable things—things that are hard to read, hard to acknowledge, and hard to deal with.

Hmmm, good question, I guess. I mean, I do ask for feedback, and believe me, I always appreciate hearing what the readers have to say—even when it’s not flattering.

And, just so I’m clear, the feedback wasn’t aggressive or even a complaint, really. It was just someone saying it would be nice if I wrote about my dogs more often! I laughed out loud when I read that, mainly because some of my family members have said that exact same thing!

Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
AI Won’t Burn Us Out. Chasing Relevance Will. AI AI Won’t Burn Us Out. Chasing Relevance Will.

AI burnout isn’t really about AI. It’s about what happens when human beings feel pressured to keep proving their relevance in an AI-speed world.

The talk around the water cooler at the moment seems omnipresent: AI replacing our jobs. But maybe there’s something else we should be discussing, instead. Like, what happens to the human experience when we start to believe our worth depends on keeping up with the pace of machines?

Because if we look at the data, that’s where AI burnout begins. And not because of the technology itself—nope, not even the extra tools, prompts, dashboards, and workflows. It begins in the unspoken fear that if we slow down, fall behind, or fail to adapt quickly enough, we become less valuable … shhhhhhh!

And that is not a workplace problem or a technology problem. No, that’s a human problem, and it has everything to do with self-worth or a lack thereof.

Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
How gardening may help you live longer—and almost How gardening may help you live longer—and almost certainly live better.

What—growing my own food may help me live longer? Well, it's not guaranteed, but there's a lot of research that says more of us should be doing it!

And, yes, traditionally, gardening hasn’t been sold to us as a longevity practice, but maybe it should have been. Think about it—bending, stretching, moving, carrying, all while outdoors breathing fresh air, and in the sun, soaking up Vitamin D. It’s like an all-natural supplement!

And it’s not just our physical health; our mental and emotional well-being gets a boost, as well. It's like Mother Nature doubling as your shrink—turns out spending time in the garden lowers stress, too. Yup, quiet time with a hoe in your hands acts as a de-stressor, lowering blood pressure and providing some purpose to our days outside of the usual stuff we’re madly engaged in.

Recent studies have linked gardening to lower overall and cause-specific mortality and to healthier aging outcomes in older adults. I mean, it really shouldn’t come as a huge surprise to any of us. After all, gardening does tick a lot of boxes.

Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
We train people how to treat us. Agreed, it's not We train people how to treat us.

Agreed, it's not pleasant or easy to consider—but it's true; whether we like it or not, when we reflect on the dynamics of our relationships, they're based on the ground rules we've established.

Ugh, not exactly light conversation material for your next cocktail party, but, oh my, so much opportunity in this one! And, if we’re being honest, I think we can agree that we’ve all been there—we’ve said, “Yes,” when we really should’ve said, “No.”

Goodness, the number of times I caved to bosses or workplace superiors is embarrassingly high. But, like all of us, I was still figuring it out. Today, would I respond differently? I like to think so. But not because now, I don’t take shit from anyone! No, I understand what and why my younger self was doing, and today I understand better that it wasn’t the best choice for anyone.

And, let’s face it, none of us wants to be a pushover, a people-pleaser, a yes-man or woman, or a doormat. It doesn’t matter how you frame it; we don’t want to be taken advantage of. But, perhaps, a better way to consider it is not what we don’t want, but what we do want… to be respected, appreciated, acknowledged, you name it: we want to feel good about ourselves in all of our relationships.

Continued in my Substack—link in bio! Enjoy...
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