We don’t like it (I know I don’t) but we don’t grow when everything is going smoothly.
I was recently listening to an interview with 2 of the best Crossfit competitors in the world.
They talked about learning much more from their losses than anything else. Not only did they become better athletes after facing adversity but they became better in all areas of life.
I was recently talking to a friend and TBBC Warrior names John about this very topic. Since I know John has overcome several difficult circumstances, I asked him to share his perspective.
Without missing a beat, these are the 6 things he came up with when I asked him the key to getting better through setbacks rather than letting them get the best of us. By the way, I couldn’t agree more:
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Have a goal – Having a goal is crucial when it comes to persevering through challenges. I’ll also add the importance of knowing why you have that goal. Victor Frankl said, “If you know your why you can endure any how.”
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Be determined – We can’t escape problems. We can decide how we will respond to them. Decide that you will keep going no matter what.
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Fight the urge – We all have the urge to want to throw in the towel every so often. That just makes us human. However, we need to fight the urge, remember our why and keep going.
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Plan the night before – There’s a big difference between ‘seeing how I feel in the morning” Vs. planning ahead. Lay your workout clothes out. Make an appointment. Decide in advance what you will do. Successful people plan their day the night before.
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Make it a habit – Get into a routine that will help you reach your goal. Every big goal is the culmination of little habits we do each day. Just be the kind of person that makes healthy food choices and gets enough activity.
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Accountability – This might be the most important one. Surround yourself with a supportive community that cares about you. This is invaluable in reaching any goal.
I find it interesting when people tell me they can’t achieve their fitness goals because they’re:
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On medication
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Have an injury
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Suffer from depression
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Fill in the blank
Sorry for the hard truth but these things are excuses.
I’ll leave you with a quote that’s plastered on our wall at TBBC.
“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”