I’m on another emotional and spiritual growth spurt. I HATE these! I mean, I love them, but I hate them too. It’s great to grow and evolve – constant growth and evolution is really a foundational principle of my life. But, sometimes it would just be nice to coast for a while and enjoy the progress I’ve made. It seems every time I feel like I’m at a place where I can rest a little and enjoy the fruits of my labor, God or the Universe or whoever decides I need to grow. Again. Oh well…
Besides my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, CrossFit and Westside Powerlifting training, I’ve been doing a lot of yoga and meditation. I’ve also been reading some good books like “Emotional Alchemy” by Tara Bennett-Goleman and using some self-hypnosis stuff by Hypnotica like “The Attractor Factor.” All this yoga and “New Agey” stuff tends to stir stuff up and make you think about stuff differently…
It Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Does…
Yesterday, I had a pretty startling realization: The meaning I give to certain aspects of my training – and probably certain aspects of my LIFE – aren’t really accurate. Something I’ve been working with over the last few weeks is slowing down my thoughts and watching them – using “Mindfulness” in other words – and trying to identify what my internal dialog is. You know, the stuff you say to yourself when you probably don’t even realize you’re saying anything…
What I realized when I slowed down my thoughts and heard what I was telling myself is this: I have the erroneous belief that my “lack” of performance in certain areas – whether it’s getting pounded by one of my friends at Modern Self-Defense Center on the mat in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or having Bryce from CrossFit Religion FINISH Fran when I’m still working on the 15 part – means more than it really does. I caught myself thinking I was lacking something fundamental in ME and THAT was why I wasn’t as good at rolling in BJJ or as fast in a classic CrossFit workout as I “should” be.
But, what it REALLY means is I just need to put in more time. More time, more learning, more repetitions, more dedication and MORE WORK. That’s it. It just means I haven’t done everything I need to to get there yet. It’s just about time and focused and intelligent training. That’s it…
The Limits Are WAY Beyond Where You Think They Are…
I spent several years deeply immersed in the – for lack of a better term – “self-help” community. I traveled from Connecticut to Boston every week or two, had several mentors who were more experienced than me and I mentored a few younger guys who had less experience than me. A thinking technique I learned during those years was called “Reframing.” Reframing is a way of changing your perspective or the “frame of reference” you’re using to look at something.
I’ve been following the CrossFit Regionals on Facebook this weekend and, in particular, my friends from CrossFit Relentless who were competing. I just found out today that the CrossFit Relentless team finished 6th overall for the Regionals!
And I didn’t even know that my friend Brenda was on the CF Relentless team until I saw these pics of her…
Sure, they’re great pics. But here’s Brenda just about a year ago in a post on the CrossFit Relentless Blog…
If THESE pics don’t make you want to go out RIGHT NOW and train I don’t know what will! I’m more inspired to train and make great progress today – because of Brenda’s example – than I have been in a long, LONG time!
So, here’s the Reframe: Next time you’re thinking that you have to be a natural athlete or younger or have started training sooner – or that you have to be anyone other than WHO YOU ARE at this moment to make the progress you want – think about the above example and all the other success stories like Brenda’s. There’s no secret. It’s about HARD work, good coaches, sacrifice and dedication. That’s about it. I remember a time when Brenda couldn’t do a Pull Up! A few years later she’s competing at the Regionals!
So, the next time you’re down on yourself about your “lack of talent” for CrossFit or whatever sport you’re into and you’re thinking the big performers in the sport have something you don’t, just ask yourself this: “Do I know of anyone who started off without the best foundation and without the best performance and made MASSIVE progress over the course of a few years?” And now, you can say that you do…
So, get to work on your goals and MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN in the weeks and months ahead! I’m going to!
ttys
Adam
“As you think, so shall you become.”
Bruce Lee
Awesome blog – thank you for the inspiration. Love the motto, love the site. I Crossfit in Las Vegas at PFCrossfit – 7 months in and it has made an incredible impact in my life all around.Amazing coaches and folks who workout at our Box. Being strong and healthy and challenging yourself daily, doing more than you “think” you can, being around positive people and positive energy builds confidence that reaches into every aspect of your life.
Yeah it does! Thanks for the post, Kim!
Adam