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Injury: Advantage Instead Of Obstacle
I just hurt my shoulder — and somehow, I’m not behind. I’m ahead.
Paco Raven
July 29, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
TODAY’S FOCUSRethinking Injury2 weeks ago, I hit a PR on the bench press. It was a big win, but it came at a cost. I felt a sharp pain in my left shoulder. An old injury came back. My immediate thought was: NOT NOW. I was the strongest I have ever been, and now I had to dial back. I tried ignoring it, but rest was the only solution. The Stoics wouldn’t have called this a setback. They would’ve called it something else entirely... |  |
Welcome to The Stoiclete — a slow newsletter for athletes who refuse to be one-dimensional. Each edition brings you a personal insight, an honest take on performance, and tools to train your body, sharpen your mind, and live a life worth showing up for.
Let’s dive in.
— Paco Raven
REFLECTIONS IN MOTION
Talking injury through the lens of purpose
Injuries. Every athlete will or has experienced one at some point in their sport.
And somehow, they always seem to come at the worst time.
Just before an important game. Just when you’re ready to dial up the intensity. Just when you feel your strongest.
The hardest part is accepting it. Having patience. You’re forced to shift how you see the injury.
The Stoics looked at obstacles in a way that turns an injury into something that improves you, instead of setting you back.
Why should you care about shifting your perspective on injuries?
Injuries will happen. You have to accept that—but you don’t have to be destroyed by them.
The Stoics saw obstacles as opportunities. It was the universe testing whether you are worthy of your goals.
Will you stand up and show the world what you are made of?
Plenty of athletes come through injuries and get back to the level they were at before. The exceptional athlete uses these injuries to come back even stronger than before.
They thrive on these challenges and unlock a new level of performance because of them.
“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
Where dealing with injury often goes wrong
When you get injured, your mind goes into that abyss where everything feels like it’s going wrong.
Maybe you had an important game coming up or a race, and now, because of the injury, you can’t compete. You were at your best… and suddenly, you’re not sure if you’ll ever get back there again.
You feel anxiety. You worry. But you’re reacting emotionally, not rationally. You’re focusing on the negative parts of the injury — and let’s be honest, there are a lot.
But the reality is: the injury isn’t going away anytime soon.
So you have to find a way to live and train with it.
You have to accept it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of what first looked like a setback.
THIS WEEK’S STOIC INSIGHT
A moment this week that taught me something
Live from Eindhoven, Netherlands
Last Tuesday, I returned from vacation in southern Italy. It was great gaining some new inspiration and rest. I was gone for 10 days, so I decided to give my body a complete break from training.
Wednesday, I felt strong, like I could go all the way. But that is the trap. Your body feels ready, but it isn't always prepared for everything. When rebuilding your training routine, it’s recommended to ease into it and allow your body to adapt to the increased volume.
It’s a mental battle—you feel rested and want to push, but you have to restrain yourself and leave 2 reps in the tank.
This reminded me of an almost humorous quote from Epictetus: “No great work is made suddenly—any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you say now, 'I want a fig,' I answer: 'That takes time.'”
I tried, and it wasn’t perfect, but I didn’t go full intensity. That’s for next week. Let the comeback begin.
How to deal with injuries the right way
There is no single right way to deal with injuries. There is, however, a more productive way.
A way of taking advantage of the injury. By seeing it as a moment of reflection.
Looking back: what can you learn? But more importantly, how can you come back stronger?
Take this time to work on weak points. Adjust your training. Get a new perspective. Decide to see it not as an obstacle. Decide to see it as a new beginning.
If I could only use one tactic for dealing with injury, it would be this
When I injured my shoulder two weeks ago, I struggled to change my perspective. It felt like I was taking two steps back instead of one forward.
But when I looked at it rationally, I approached it this way:
I reviewed my training plan and decided to train my shoulders only through compound exercises, not isolation work.
I gave them rest and used that time to focus more on other muscle groups. I used the injury to work on weak points and make adjustments to my plan.
What helped was asking myself: What can I still do?
That one question shifted my focus from frustration to action.
I didn’t let the injury destroy my progress.
I couldn’t train my shoulders — but that didn’t mean I couldn’t train at all.
It reminded me that progress doesn’t always look like pushing harder. Sometimes, it looks like adjusting the plan and continuing anyway.
END ON PURPOSE
One stoic question to ask yourself…
Ava with Milo in their van
Where have I been privileged - and what am I doing with it?
When dealing with difficult moments in life, it’s good to think about what we do have. To be grateful for the privileges you have and to ask yourself what more you can do with them.
Shift the focus from what you’ve lost to what’s still within your control. From what you don’t have to what you do have.