“Get
comfortable being uncomfortable.”
I
found myself saying this a lot the last few years. It was said to me many years
ago and simply stuck with me. With the Opens upon us I found myself using it
more often. The phrase is simple and straight forward much like the
opens.
With
14.1 behind us, the buzz is now on 14.2 Not that I want to focus on the past,
but thinking back to 14.1; we saw a lot of negative reactions once it was
announced. By no means am I implying these reactions weren’t valid based on the
individual, but (as stated then and sticking with it now) what’s the point? The
workout is the workout. Bottom-line, you are doing it, one way or the other; as
are we all!
What
we keep finding is those who instantly view the workout from this negative standpoint
have a much harder initial barrier to break before being able to mentally
prepare and get ready to attack the workout. This is where the phrase should
kick in.
When
I say “get comfortable being uncomfortable” to our athletes, it means just
that. You’re taking part in the sport of CrossFit- constantly varied, high
intensity, and functional movement. Nowhere is “comfortable” or “easy”
mentioned. I understand the feeling that will come over you at some point in
the workout-you hit that wall; breathing is rapid, lungs burning, muscles
screaming, the weight increasingly becoming heavier with each round… but this
is it! This is what we train for every day. To be able to push through that
wall—to be comfortable with all that is causing discomfort. To some this
makes perfect sense and has been a phrase they hold on to, maybe even repeat as
a mantra. For others, the ones whose initial reaction is negative; they haven’t
found that point yet of which they can simply keep calm and continue on at that
very moment where that wall is approaching; slowing down, dropping the bar and
stepping back simply seems easier. My assumption is that instead of mentally
preparing for those 10 minutes of hell, they had an additional obstacle to
overcome. One that deals with expectations, performance anxiety, and
self-doubt.
“Aint
nobody got time for that!”
Nothing
about these workouts is “comfortable” for ANYONE-not even upwards of the
highest athletes. They simply have higher scores, but 10 minutes of redline is
10 minutes of redline- whether you complete 3 rounds or 10. As long as you drop
to the floor in exhaustion when that clock indicates time is up- you should be
happy. But we found that not to be the case.
GET
COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE.- say it with me.
I
believe this phrase is VERY fitting for what we do in CrossFit, but honestly,
could be used in most aspects of life. Sometimes things suck. Sometimes things
are VERY shitty and we simply have to be ok with it. If we coward up, turn our
backs, shy away; we generally get nowhere. Sometimes, you have just have to be
comfortable with things getting worse before they get better; push through and
keep that positive outlook. Whether it’s a few minutes during a 5 min AMRAP,
or, the last week or months in real life. Either way, the circumstance is
irrelevant. Get comfortable, being uncomfortable . . . and your ability to
overcome obstacles, think clearer, adapt and overcome will become much greater.