A powerful statement, by a powerful man. Can you handle the truth? The truth is.......
"You can't have it all." I attended a certification for IN3 Nutrition Coaching last weekend in Austin Texas. Jason Phillips and his team coach high level athletes in the CrossFit and MMA world. They also coach "average" people like you and me. (No offense intended if you are above average!) Many athletes (and regular folk) want it all! They want to perform at the highest level, have a six pack and feel amazing, all while raising a family, working full time and volunteering at the local soup kitchen.(ok, maybe not the soup kitchen) Bill Gates slept in his office 5 nights a week and was single well into his 30's. Brad Pitt can't leave his home without being bombarded with cameras, causing depression. Steve Jobs was a dead beat dad to his first daughter. Clearly they made extreme sacrifices to achieve extreme results. They didn't have it all. Mat Fraser ,winner of the 2017 CrossFit Games did not have the best abs or the lowest body fat. His goal was performance. He sacrificed aesthetics for performance. NFL players eat and train to perform, not to be cover models. MMA fighter Mizuto Hirota almost fainted after weigh in and did not even make the cut, weighing in 4 pounds above the featherweight limit. Fighters take extreme measures to lose those last ounces of water before the weigh in. Endurance athletes sacrifice time to train, and wreak havoc on their hormones and body for their sport. The reality is "achieving great things requires great sacrifice." What are you willing to sacrifice? If you want extreme results, it will take extreme measures. No you can't have it all, but you can have what is important to you. I want to compete in Spartan races and gain strength to perform. In the past I wanted it all. I wanted to run my fasted mile, and race a 100 miler all while keeping enough strength to compete in Spartan races. Intellectually I knew better, but knowledge does not always equal action. Performance? Aesthetics? Longevity? We (coaches) can help you achieve your goals, just not all of them at the same time! What do you want? What are you willing to sacrifice to get it? Handle the truth. Feel the Rush!
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I asked myself that very question. My answer was, "hate to lose". I decided I may need to rethink my idea of competition. Just last week I decided only two hours before a local 5k to sign up. I know I am not in my "best shape" right now, and I "hate to lose". "Show me a good loser and I will show you a loser".-Vince Lombardi.
After weighing the pros and cons, I realized the thought of losing was dictating my decision about whether to race. Yes I did race and was the 2nd woman overall. My age grade time would have won the race, I was a winner! CrossFit Open sign ups are happening right now. My first thought was, only winners compete. "If you ain't first , your last. You know, you know what I'm talking about." Ricky Bobby. But, what rules your desire to compete? "Love to win" or "hate to lose"? Losing is temporary, does it beat you down or fire you up? I decided my love of winning dominates. Yes, I signed up for the CrossFit Open. The road to Winnersville is painful, bumpy and long. "Life is a process, winning is a process, losing is a prerequisite." I did it again! I signed up for another race, the "Spartan Super" in San Jose, California. This course is 8-10 miles covered with 24-29 obstacles, at "Mount Diablo", the mythical place where the world began.
I am constantly inviting people to join me on my Spartan adventures. Just last week I ended my text to my niece with, "Maybe one day you can come do a Spartan race with us". But why should anyone say yes? I never really had an intelligent answer to the "why" until now. To my surprise, I found a list of "10 things" to do to get ready for a Spartan race, and.......they just happen to be synonymous with "getting ready for life"! #1. "Train weird." Training includes crawling, jumping, lifting, running, climbing... you get the picture. This type of training will keep you youthful, flexible, strong and allow you to actually be "functional" in life, AKA, "work". #2. "Get comfortable being uncomfortable." Do I really need to explain this? #3. "Wear the right clothes." I do need to explain this! Guys and gals, "workout clothes" are not "church clothes" and "club clothes" are not "workout clothes"! #4. "Don't expect a snack." Life owes you nothing, earn it! #5. "Lots of running." Ok, I cannot tell a lie, this one is a stretch, but run or walk ,we all need lots of movement. #6. "Avoid the gym." The great outdoors are the place to be. Your body weight is yours to carry and move forever. "All good things are wild and free."- Henry David Thoreau #7 "Perfect your burpees." We have all seen the people, (or worse yet) have been the person who can no longer get up off the floor if for some odd reason we managed our way to the floor. Enough said. #8 "Prepare for battle." Life! #9, "Recruit friends and family." The family that plays,(prays) together, stays together. Believe me, you will be playing, (praying). #10. "Sign up. "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all" -Helen Keller Feel the Rush- Hoorah! Procrastination explained. We all have a "rational brain", the part that makes rational decisions. The "rational brain" says, "You have a project due in a month, let's make a plan to start now". But wait, the "monkey brain" says, "Live for today, have some fun!" Just when our "rational brain" tries to start, the "monkey brain," which is all about instant gratification, takes over. The monkey is all about the present moment, keep it easy, fun and no thought about tomorrow. This of course causes conflict. Personal note, I am an expert list writer, almost daily. I decided to find out if I really am a procrastinator. I looked at my journal from last year Christmas break. "get passport", I looked at my summer break list, "get passport", and my 2017 Christmas break, "get passport"! Guess what is on my snow day break list, "get passport". We may laugh at procrastination because even the best procrastinators usually meet their dead lines, yes, with more guilt, anxiety and panic, but we manage. Ok, a moment of truth, I did not need to check my list to know if I was a procrastinator. How did I earn my B.A and Master's while raising four children? One word, "deadlines". The fact is we are all procrastinators when deadlines are not present. There is no deadline on exercise, relationships, careers, or chasing your dreams. Many of us become spectators in our own lives, never starting because there is no sense of urgency. So I urge you to get out your life calendar and take the wheel from the monkey. Allow the "rational brain" to drive. Yes, I do have a deadline for my passport, summer of 2019, I want to visit my son and his family in the UK. I hope I don't procrastinate.
We all experience those people, we are not sure about, are they a friend or an enemy? Most of us teach our kids about bullies, friendships, good guys and bad guys, but do we take our own advice? Adult friendship is an issue. How do we build friendships and/or breakup with friend? We have all experienced the friendship that becomes stale because of distance, jobs, interests change, you name it. We understand those. Most of us recognize toxic people around us and we limit our time with them. If the toxic person asks you to lunch or coffee, no thought required, your answer is "No". Eating alone sounds much more appealing, maybe even walking over hot coals! But,truth be told "frienemies" are more draining than the "toxics". Most of us have those people in our live where we are not quite sure if we really like them and unsure if they really like us. The energy it takes to be with them is draining. They drain us emotionally, and energy is finite, mental space is finite. How do you know which category the people around you belong in? Ask yourself one simple question. Are you ever doubting if they are happy for you? When you share good news, do they mirror your excitement? Are they dream killers? Yes we all need dream killers in our live, but that job should be left to that someone we are near and dear to. Want to be a healthier you in 2018? It may be time for a breakup!
Feel the Rush! |
AuthorToday is the first day of the rest of your life. What do you want your life to look like? The amazing thing is the choice is yours. I have spent many years of my life being passive, allowing things to happen to me. How many of us are spectators in our own lives? I know I was for years. I watched my energy decrease. I was tired, bloated, and had brain fog. Most days I woke up only to look forward to my next nap.Then I began an active quest for energy, peace and joy! I can honestly say it was a long journey, which I am still on. I am no longer looking for the magic pill! Magic hacks....yes! At 51 I feel more energetic than I have in years. If I were to give everyone the top 3 things to allow you to live your life with energy, peace and joy... Archives
July 2022
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