Everyone has a few reasons as to why they are coming to the gym. We all want to feel and look our best. Some people want to deadlift the world. Others would kill for just one freaking pull up. But in the end, not matter what your goal is it comes down to enjoying and trusting the processes. The enjoyment is what I want to focus on in this article.
I have seen thousands of people come and go from the gym. The people that stick around and see the best results are the ones who can see the long game. These people tend to be the most positive athletes at the gym. It all starts with a good mind set. Sure we go through ups and downs. Days get long, the weather gets cold and you don’t feel like coming in the gym. But how and why do some people stick with it and why do others leave after 4 months?
The reason people are staying is not due to a superficial, non specific goal. “I want a six pack.” or “I want to be strong.” When you get there and look in the mirror and see that six pack, you will not be fulfilled. It is about the journey to that place that keeps people coming in. If you make it about the processes the rest will come naturally. Getting “in shape” will be a side effect. It should be about having a successful training session everyday. Create a habit around that.
Let’s define a successful training session. It can mean different things to different people but, it is fairly easy at most CrossFit gyms. All you have to do is show up. The workout is there, the atmosphere is there and the community is there. All three will help you be successful. Show up with a good attitude and work hard. I would call that a successful day.
Using that as a daily thing to create a habit around is huge. It gives you small wins everyday. Instead of waiting 6 months to get one pull up, your successful training days will build on each other. Over the course of 1 month, 6 months and year it will add up to something great. A true, sustainable transformation happens over time not over the course of 2 weeks. This mindset creates a positive long lasting habit.
If you are not enjoying yourself, then this relationship, this habit, this goal, will not last. We work hard at CrossFit Federal Hill to have fun. That sounds backwards, but we intentionally work hard at it. The workouts are constantly varied with a few benchmarks sprinkled in there. The warm ups are meant to be interactive and engaging as well as warm you up. We also have at the very least one community event each month. We rally around holidays and celebrate babies and weddings.
Enjoy the journey and embrace the processes. It is easy to read, easy to say, but hard to implement. Develop daily practices that ensure you are hitting small goals that create habits and have a good time along the way.
Written By: Geo Rockwell