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.”

by: Dustin B. Flanary

“I feel like giving up.
Almost every day, in fact. Not all day, of course, but there are moments.
My bet is that you have those moments, too…
Most of the time, we deal with the obstacles by persevering. Sometimes we get discouraged and turn to inspirational writing, like stuff from Vince Lombardi: ‘Quitters never win and winners never quit.’ Bad advice. Winners quit all the time. THEY JUST QUIT THE RIGHT STUFF AT THE RIGHT TIME.

Intro

The 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.
You’re not the only person who looks for the best choice. Everyone does. As a result, the rewards or being first are enormous. It’s not a linear scale. It’s not a matter of getting a little more after giving a little more. It’s a curve, and a steep one.”

Two or Three Favourite Things

Most 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.
Stick with the right stuff.
Have the guts to do one or the other.

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.
The biggest thing to remember is there a long period of growth that Godin calls the Dip but others call the Plateau.
It can be long and arduous.
It requires grit.

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:
“Decide before the race the conditions that will cause you to stop and drop out. You don’t want to be out there saying, ‘Well, gee, my leg hurts, I’m a little dehydrated, I’m sleepy, I’m tired, and it’s cold and windy.’ And talk yourself into quitting. If you are making a decision based on how you feel at that moment, you will probably make the wrong decision.”

“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.
What a spectacularly bad piece of advice…Never quit wetting your bed? Or that job you had at Burger King in high school? Never quit selling a product that is obsolete?
Actually, quitting as a short-term strategy is a bad idea. Quitting for the long term is an excellent idea.

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.
Strategic quitting is a conscious decision you make based on the choices that are available to you. If you realize you’re at a dead end compared with what you could be investing in, quitting is not only a reasonable choice, it’s a smart one.

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.

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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.