How often do you approach a workout with only the end goal in mind?

We’ve all done it. You want to finish a for-time workout in sub-10 minutes or break 200 reps in that AMRAP you’re about to tackle. Goals are great, and they keep us pushing, but elite athlete Khan Porter wants you to think of something else. Check out this message he shared.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3YOqaypvRG/

He makes an excellent point, and it’s a sentiment other competitors have echoed – focusing on giving it your all and not what the leaderboard says at the end of the day. It’s a tough pill to swallow, because how can you not obsess over the outcome?

But… an amazing outcome stems from your greatest effort and precise strategy.

So, that’s the new goal for 20.2 and beyond: Become a master of strategy.

Even while preparing for (and crushing) the Open workouts, Porter has also been advocating for mental health — something he has personal experience with and feels very passionately about.

View this post on Instagram

My Mental Health Month #AwarenessToAction challenge to you! (Long post, but please have a read) Mental health is still a pretty awkward topic to talk about. However there’s few things as powerful as feeling able to speak openly about it, be heard and most importantly, feel understood. By de-stigmatising talking about mental health, hopefully we can allow more people to feel comfortable opening up about their struggles. My hope is that some day going to speak to a therapist or chatting to your mates about the way you think or feel (mental health) will be no different than talking about going to the gym or a starting a new diet plan (physical health). To do this I think we need to start by expanding the way we view mental health. We often think of MH strictly as the presence or absence of illness and think talking about it is only for people who think they have something “wrong” with them. I believe it is far broader than that and encompasses everything from dealing with stress, anger, sadness and various other powerful emotions, to being able to focus, learn and be present for ourselves and those around us. If we can shift the way we view mental health we can start to lift the stigma many people feel around talking about it or “getting help” when they’re aren’t doing to too well. So here’s my challenge for you! This October (mental health month) do something proactive for your mental health and talk about it. Whether it’s simply trying meditation or journaling, going to a psychologist or councillor to chat about life, or organising a “mate date” for you and your buddies to catch up and chat about what’s going on in your worlds. Then (if you feel up to it) SHARE how you’re looking after your mental health, tag your mates and challenge them to do the same. It’s time to move from promoting awareness to taking action and we all have the power to do that right now! Comment 🧠❤️ below if you’re in or tag some friends and get them involved! #mentalhealthmonth #awarenesstoaction #bethechange

A post shared by Khan Porter (@iamkhanporter) on Oct 7, 2019 at 1:13pm PDT

Take care of yourself, mind and body.

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