Bedlam Blog – You VS. You – Positive Mindset
“YOU vs. YOU” – A Positive Mindset can take us where we never thought possible.
There is a quote that I stumbled upon the other day that really resonated with me.
“Worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles, it takes away today’s peace.”
With respect to what we do in the gym, I see a common thread among newbies, competitors, and those that lie somewhere in between. Starting your first day of Crossfit on snatch day can be intimidating as a mutha. Watching so-and-so with two pairs of wheels and some change on their barbell can really make your PVC or bald bar look like a toothpick. Watching 10 people on gymnastic day knock out unbroken sets of butterflies so effortlessly while you’re on the rings pulling away back and forth doesn’t look very cool in comparison.That new kid who has only been crossfitting for three weeks has already started power cleaning your max for reps when you’ve been there for three years. What a jerk right?
All jokes aside, we can probably relate to either of those examples or several others in which we overwhelm ourselves with what is going on in our environment.
It’s easy to focus on what other people are doing.
It’s easy to look at others and feel defeated.
It’s easy to be negative about your progress when you compare your scores to everyone else around you.
STOP.
“Take a deep breath and think for a moment”
Building strength, increasing mobility, and skill acquisition takes time. How much time? Well, that depends on a lot of factors. Time allotted for training, nutrition, sleep, outside stressors, and your purpose for doing CrossFit are a few of the variables that can affect your performance. Unless you’re a games athlete or high level competitor where you can afford to dedicate every hour of your day towards fitness your life probably revolves around your family, kids, or your job. Some days you get to fitness and some days you don’t.
Taking all of that into consideration making comparisons with other people in the gym just wouldn’t be fair to you or to them. Although our goals may similar to one another’s the path we walk on is unique to us and changes constantly. Worrying about what skills we don’t have or why we can’t lift as much weight as the person next to us takes the fun out of what made you fall for crossfit in the first place.
There was as a time when I fell through the rabbit hole where all I did was stalk Instagram of well known local athletes and compared everything I did to them. It was miserable. Seeds of doubt were planted and the more I kept comparing, the more those doubts grew big enough to crush my confidence and suck out the fun. In that moment, I was reminded of a few things that helped me overcome those doubts.
PRACTICE THESE THINGS…..
*YOU ARE AWESOME. Say it out loud. Believe it. because it’s true.
*BE YOUR OWN MOTIVATION. It’s YOU Vs. YOU out there.
*POSITIVE THINKING GOES A LONNNNNNG WAY. Instead of seeing what you can’t do, focus on what you CAN. i.e. You may not have gotten the fastest time of the day but, maybe you did all your reps unbroken. Perhaps you don’t have kipping pull ups yet but, maybe you were able to do bigger sets of ring rows at a lower angle compared to last time. You ran the whole time without stopping!
*BE HAPPY FOR OTHERS. When someone gets a PR, or does something incredible make sure you acknowledge it and give credit when it’s due. You know how much hard work it takes to do something new, so spread those positive vibes. One day, they’ll do the same for you.
*REMEMBER YOUR WHY. Your “why” is what got you started in the first place and it may change over time. Let it be your guide.
*SEEK PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION. Progress, however fast or slow is still progress. Enjoy the journey and learn along the way.
*SET GOALS THAT ARE REASONABLE AND ATTAINABLE. Saying you’re going to get a muscle up in two months when you are unable to do a strict pull up is a tall order.
*WORK YOUR WEAKNESSES. If mobility is getting in your way, make it a goal to spend 15 minutes mobilizing every day before bed. Do the work and eventually it will pay off.
We come from different backgrounds and have our own strengths and weaknesses, but when that clock counts down to zero it’s you versus you. Control what you can control and strive to be better than you were yesterday. When you do that, every day is a good day.
Bedlam CF Head Coach – Cassandra Gallegos