A friend had a friendly disagreement with their new personal trainer. The trainer noticed that Daria would hit the treadmill on off days. However, she’d fallen into a relaxed “talk and walk” routine. She’d do a little something, something, but mostly catch up with a buddy.
The trainer swung by the machines and joked, “Hey—where’s my client that wanted results? The secret to success is to put the treadmill at a challenging pace. Then hang out for 30 minutes. See you Tuesday!”
In the January series, 4 Cs to Crush Your Intentions, we’re talking through a framework so you can crush your goals. So far, we’ve talked about Care and Confidence. The third C in the mix is Capacity. Capacity is the ability to go deep. You’re practicing Capacity when you’re tenacious, committed, and loyal.
For instance, Capacity is the endurance to keep going those last tough ten minutes on the treadmill. When you book focus time because big ideas require sophisticated, meticulous thinking. And when you have the maturity and patience to understand that quality investments take time. You stick with objectives when others might quit, just like the Marines whose motto is “Semper fi,” or always faithful.
Let’s meet a family that shows what it means to have Capacity.
You may be familiar with the name Boomer Esaison, even if you’re not a football fan. Boomer is a popular NFL analyst and former MVP as the Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback.
His hardest test wasn’t losing the Super Bowl. It was off the field when his son Gunnar was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a toddler. The physical burdens of cystic fibrosis—such as the inability to breathe and constant fevers—were only part of their experience. Boomer remembers being in awe of the mental hurdles Gunnar also faced, such as loneliness and worry about the future (many CF patients do not live past the age of ten).
Gunnar reflected, “The only way to move the ball down the field is to participate in clinical research.” After many starts and stops, one trial worked, and Gunnar improved with tender care from his dedicated mom. Now Gunnar has a family of his own and runs the Boomer Esaison Foundation, which has raised over $200 million to fund cystic fibrosis research.
Let’s face it: Everyone loves a quick win—they’re tempting because you get that instant dopamine hit. However, if you’re dreaming big this year, you’ll need Capacity. That’s one takeaway from the Esaison family. Capacity isn’t a talent you’re born with—where you either have it or don’t. Instead, it’s a quality everyone can develop.
Stretch goals always push you—whether you’re trying to finally crack the code on an AI prompt or expand your soft skills like becoming a more thoughtful listener. But here’s the upside: Clients, colleagues, and managers love aligning with the person who has the chops to artfully get them over the finish line.
The good news is that you’re not starting from scratch—you’ve already conquered obstacles using Capacity. Spark your thinking with one of these ideas or reflect on a personal situation and jot down how it made you better. Here’s a snapshot of common problems and how they build your people skills:
There will be plenty of times this year when your goals feel like an endless workout. But fight the inclination to quit or switch to something smaller just to have a quick win—that’s no way to boss up. When tests and trials come your way, crush them with Capacity.