An Open Letter To Anyone Feeling Discouraged
August 7, 2019
Written by admin in Training,
25 min read Dear friend,
Staying healthy isn’t always easy. It’s tough to maintain a positive attitude 24/7, but we really want you to enjoy this experience; so, we’re here to give you a little motivation, a little push, and a few important reminders.
First and foremost, fitness is a journey, not a destination. It’s something we have to practice on a regular basis. Committing to something so long-term can feel overwhelming!
Everyone feels the pressure at some point. The build-up, the anticipation, and anxiety that go along with trying to achieve a healthier you can leave people feeling defeated and discouraged. Things don’t always go your way and the anchor starts tightening around your ankle.
It’s normal, even expected, to feel discouraged at some point. It’s how we handle that discouragement and attempt to rise above it that can keep us motivated and moving.
Perspective is Key
Perspective is like trying to balance a seesaw. On one end, the gym sometimes feels like your life. It’s all you think about, and you can’t wait for your workday to be over so that you can go to the box. On the other end is the big picture, the “it’s just a workout” mindset — the understanding that fitness is just one part of your life and things like friends and family all outweigh the number of muscle-ups you did this week.
The two ends are constantly at odds with one another. Focus on one too long and the other side suffers. Switch back and a new crop of problems arises. The athletes that are able to strike a balance between the two have realized that’s the key to a long and healthy journey. It’s a skill just like anything else in this sport — something that can be practiced, refined, and improved upon. In case you didn’t know, balancing a seesaw is hard.
It’s important that throughout your adventure, you step back and gain some perspective — to be able to prioritize the things that are important to you and place the sport where it belongs amongst those things.
**Beware: Contradictions Ahead!**
At the same time, taking stock of what’s important to you and gaining perspective shouldn’t come at the expense of something you work so hard for. Again, balance. Understanding it’s just a workout is important for your sanity, but the stress, the fear of failure, all these emotions are normal, even good. It means it’s important to you. Don’t hide behind the “it’s just a workout” mindset. If something is important to you, you have to do everything in your power to make it happen.
And there we have it. We’ve successfully entered contradiction territory. Like I said, perspective is tough. It’s the ability to play both sides of the field. To understand this is important to me and my success is paramount to my happiness and sense of fulfillment; but at the same time, you have to know there’s more to life than how well you did on Fran.
Your WOD Scores Don’t Define You Or Your Training
You have to remember, friend, it’s just a score. Let’s add a little perspective: if you work out four days a week, that comes out to 208 workouts per year. Bump it up to five days a week and you’re at 260 workouts. Your scores provide a snapshot of your fitness, not the whole picture.
It’s always cool to see how you stack up against the best in the world (meaning during the Open), or how you compare to your secret rival in your class. However, what may be a fun time-waster for one can be world-shattering for another. The issue is putting too much stock in a number and letting that number somehow define you and your training. Your score, your ranking doesn’t really tell the whole story.
Too often, I see athletes assign self-worth relative to the number on the leaderboard — it’s unfortunate. The leaderboard, the scores, neither of them define you as an athlete.
I Either Win Or I Learn
“I never lose. I either win or I learn.” – Nelson Mandela
At some point, almost everyone is faced with either two options. Option A is to look at your performance, your scores, and feel sorry for yourself. To look back at the work you’ve put in, at your current fitness level, and call everything into question. To let a number define you. Then there’s option B: to use your low points as a springboard to refocus, recalibrate, and kick off a better phase of training.
It doesn’t matter what level athlete you are — on your way to the Games or on your way to the bar for some post-WOD beverages. Everyone walks away from even the crummiest of WODs with something they learned about themselves. It can be something as obvious as an inability to do muscle-ups or maybe something a little less than obvious like breath timing during barbell cycling.
Regardless, you can either let those shortcomings disappoint you or use them as motivation. Fitness is a journey — a long journey, filled with ups and downs, setbacks and surprises.
So, friend, I encourage you to make the most of this journey, learn from your mistakes, and find the positives.
