“Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work through difficult problems.” – Gever Tulley
How much different are the best in the world at CrossFit from you and me? While the physical feats they are able to accomplish are incredible, they also showcase the resilience it takes to show up each day and test themselves with workouts and movements they may have never tried before. It can be easy to admire and chalk up their fitness to genetics, the right timing, a life without worrying about a full-time job, or any number of factors. What’s amazing is when you listen to their stories and how they are all so different, yet there are some common threads that you and I can relate to and implement into our own lives.
They have a passion for what is possible, and focus on the daily actions it will take to help them get there. Some athletes have been training for 5+ years before reaching the stage of CrossFit Games athlete. The goals they set are lofty, but they know it’s the little things each day over time that lead to the outcomes they want. We can take this same approach in our careers, families, and fitness. We don’t have to do everything all at once. We can take snack sized actions and trust that over time we’ll keep moving in the direction we want.
Games athletes get excited about new, novel, and challenging moments. These athletes train all types of movements, rep schemes, weights, and time domains in their workouts all in the hopes that they will be prepared for anything thrown at them. They get to Madison and are asked to use equipment or perform movements that may they may not have tried before. They welcome these challenges and learn how to adapt on the fly.
We can also get excited about unique or challenging moments whether it’s a meeting or presentation at work, a conversation with a significant other, or a workout that looks intimidating on paper. How we approach the unknown in our life directly affects how we show up. If we want to be more confident, more excited, and attack life with more energy, then notice what thoughts and stories you tell yourself before you step into those situations. Know that you can always choose your approach and how you want to be in any moment.
The final area in which we have more in common than meets the eye is the struggle that takes place even when you’re prepared. When you’re testing your capacity, you’re going to ride the line between success and falling short. Regardless of where you are in life there is going to be struggle, setbacks, and things won’t go as planned. What makes a difference is how you respond and bounce back from these moments. Can you get back up and go again even if you’re not sure you want to? This is how we build resilience that can survive any situation.
We can admire and praise the athletes for qualifying and competing at the highest level in different sports. We realize we have much more in common with them than we think, and can focus on the daily actions, our approach, and our ability to overcome challenges to help continue to move us forward.
