Nightmare Before Fitness
“Do simple better.”
– Kirby Smart
Tims Deep Squats (Thoughts)
This week is like AI, but better. I didn’t have to write what’s to follow. Someone else already wrote a great summary of one of my favorite books. It’s called, “The Dip by: Seth Godin”. A member noted that her child (who is also a member) likes me now, but it took awhile for that to happen. They wanted to quit, were pretty sporadic with attendance and now realize that I’m just coaching hard, with a standard, because I care. When they realized this, they now enjoy coming to class. You can imagine that this has happened to me a lot in my 49 years. I try to soften the hard outer shell, but it’s “hard” to change oneself. So here’s a little book review that may help you make the decision to stick with something that’s difficult (like CrossFit or me) or to quit and walk away. i.e. “Take a break.”
“I feel like giving up. IntroThe dip is a very short book. Seth Godin wrote it to help people recognize when it’s time to quit something versus when it’s time to persevere. His main reasoning is that quitting when you can’t be one of the best can make sense. In other cases, sticking with it is exactly what will make you one of the best. The key is recognizing what kind of situation you are in. We need to learn to discern when to continue something and show grit and when something is not a wise use of our time. …With limited time or opportunity to experiment we intentionally narrow our choices to those at the top. Two or Three Favourite ThingsMost people quit. They just don’t quit successfully. In fact, many professions and many marketplaces profit from quitters — society assumes you’re going to quit. In fact, businesses and organizations count on it. This principle also applies to achieving goals. There are lots of doors, classes, certifications and tests put in the way to certain jobs. One of the reasons is to make it harder to break into the field. If we want to do so, we have to push through the Dip to get there. Godin says: “If you learn about the systems that have been put in place that encourage quitting, you’ll be more likely to beat them. And once you understand the common sinkhole that trips up so many people (I call it the Dip), you’ll be one step closer to getting through it.” Extraordinary benefits accrue to the tiny minority of people who are able to push just a tiny bit longer than most. Extraordinary benefits also accrue to the tiny majority with the guts to quit early and refocus their efforts on something new. In both cases, it’s about being the best in the world. About getting through the hard stuff and coming out on the other side. Quit the wrong stuff. It really is a big deal to stick with something that will allow us to make a difference in the lives of others. It’s more easily done by being one of the best. That’s why Godin’s focus is on making sure that we know what we want and if it’s worth it. There is a price to pay. If we’ve made sure the effort is worth it then it very often will be. Another thing I liked from the book was about deciding beforehand when to quit. We have to think ahead and decide what needs to happen for us to give up. If we don’t think about the difficulties and pains ahead of time, the Dip may likely cause us to give up at the wrong time. Godin quoted an ultramarathoner Dick Collins as saying: “Coping is what people do when they try to muddle through. They cope with a bad job or a difficult task. The problem with coping is that it never leads to exceptional performance. Mediocre work is rarely because of a lack of talent and often because of the Cul-de-Sac. All coping does is waste your time and misdirect your energy. If the best you can do is cope, you’re better off quitting. Quitting is better than coping because quitting frees you up to excel at something else.” “Never quit. I think the advice-giver meant to say, ‘Never quit something with great long-term potential just because you can’t deal with the stress of the moment.’ Now THAT’S good advice.” Final Thoughts“Quitting is not the same as failing. Failing, on the other hand, means that your dream is over. Failing happens when you give up, when there are no other options, or when you quit so often that you’ve used up all your time and resources. It’s easy to wring your hands about becoming a failure. Quitting smart, though, is a great way to avoiding failing.” |
What’s Going On?
CrossFit Teens – Fall Session
Who: Boys and Girls aged 12-17
Dates: October 1st – November 21st
When: Tuesdays/Thursdays at 4pm
Led by: Coach Rebecca
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Coaching Opportunities at CFPA
Ever think about coaching? Maybe you know someone that would be a great coach.
Let’s have a conversation.
Send me an email: [email protected]
Overheard in Class:
“If you’re tired, DO IT TIRED.”
Timfluencing
It’s that time of year, again! It’s time to SPICE it up.
“Iced Coffee with the pumpkin sauce
Yeah, we’re running through the leaves like a pumpkin boss
I’m pumpkin lost
We’re getting into pumpkin talks
Now I’m going online to check my pumpkin stocks”
Thank you for your support.
I look forward to what we will do together.