As an athlete, I am my own worst critic. I can be incredibly hard on myself, becoming frustrated when I underperform or miss a lift that I typically can hit. At times, I allow these less than spectacular performances to affect me mentally and I find myself refusing to acknowledge the progress I have made. As a coach, I see this happen several times a week. An athlete comes into the gym, mentally prepared to PR the weightlifting. They’ve checked the metcon in advance and fully intend on performing it RX’d. They’re warmed up, motivated, and excited to get started.
But what happens when the weight doesn’t feel as light as they had hoped, when it feels like they’re trying to move a semi-truck? What happens when they can’t string their double-unders together and the rope keeps catching every fourth rep? Does this off day make them any less of an athlete? Does it some how negate the progress they’ve made so far in their Crossfit journey? Absolutely not.
You’ll never see Kasey throw in the towel! He shows up and works hard through the good AND the bad days!
When our expectations and reality fail to line up, it is easy to succumb to frustration and negative self-talk. It is easy to make excuses when nothing is going right and it is even easier to throw in the towel, give up, and walk away. Do not allow these days to derail you, in fact you should welcome them. It is on the days we fall short, the days we miss the big lift or fail the last rep, that progress is truly made. In the moment it certainly doesn’t feel like it, but you are growing, you are progressing, you are getting better, even on your worst days.