“‘Success is directly proportional to the degree of positive adaptation to change.” – Vishwas Chavan
This weekend the WheelWOD games took over Raleigh, NC. For those who may be unfamiliar, it is the CrossFit championship for adaptive athletes. There are a variety of divisions for the men and women who compete over four days. I’ve been fortunate enough to volunteer and help to judge for the event, and one of the things that stands out most about these athletes is the term adaptive.
The athletes embrace the term adaptive because they know that while the movements and equipment may look different than able bodied athletes, they are just as capable, strong, and competitive as everyone else. The quote for this week embodies this mindset, in that success is directly related to how well we can adapt to change and circumstances. Some of the athletes were born with the challenges they face, some experienced the change through injury, accident, or illness, and for others it’s all they’ve ever known. Regardless of why or how they compete in their specific division, they embrace and charge forward with full steam.
The ability to adapt to what life throws at us is a mental skill that we work to cultivate both in and out of the gym. There may be workouts or movements we can’t do, or a body part that is compromised and we have to adjust the movement or reps. How do we handle these moments? Do we embrace the opportunity to adapt, or do we find the reasons to be upset and frustrated by the moment?
Being adaptable is a compliment and a mentality that we can all aspire to. Rather than asking for an easier life, why not rise to the circumstance and build confidence in what you’re capable of? Let’s approach this upcoming week with the mentality of being adaptable to what life throws at us, and embrace when things don’t go the way we want.
