Monthly Mindset – July 2020

Positive Attitude.

Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right – Henry Ford.

I am sure that you have heard this quote at least once in your life. And if you tell me that you haven’t I won’t believe you, as I have said it many times at the gym, probably in a class that you attended. The meaning is pretty obvious right? Our mental state affects our physical state. What this means for us in the gym is that we need to come in every day telling ourselves that we are strong, we are fit, and that we are going to have fun. Crossfit is 80% mental, 50% physical, and like 30% pain (you do the math, I’m not an engineer anymore), and I cannot stress enough the importance of attitude when it comes to training.

If you look at the top competitors in any sport, not just Crossfit, you will see the same thing – a positive attitude and the mental toughness to approach each new day/training session knowing that they can accomplish what they need to do. There is no doubt in their minds that they are capable of success. And while none of us are elite Crossfit athletes, we can still adopt this mindset to make ourselves the best that we can be.

How we come into the gym has a huge affect on our performance that day. If you come in with a negative attitude and in a grumpy mood, I can pretty much guarantee that you are going to have a bad workout. However, if you come in happy and excited and knowing that you are going to do great things, you will. I mean the workout will be horrible, but you will feel better after. On the plus side, you will also have more fun, and will generally be a more likeable person to be around.

I am reminded of The Office (big surprise there, right?) Season 9, Episode 20 when Jim and Pam have a talking head after going to couple’s therapy:

Jim: Oh, we’re supposed to call everything we don’t want to do “opportunities.”

How we approach things that we don’t want to do tells a lot about who we are as people. Yes, no one wants to ride the Assault Bike, but you know what? It’s a great opportunity to test your fitness and your mental strength. You know it is going to suck. But you are going to do it anyway because you know it will make you a better person. Small things like that add up and eventually we are no longer thinking “wow this is heavy, I don’t think I can lift that,” but instead we are thinking “I totally have this lift, I got this.” The mental dialog we have with ourselves is crucial for success, and continued practice of positive self talk will help to remove doubt.

Our main goal is to make you healthier, happier people. This includes training your mind, and not just your bodies, to become stronger. Your mindset this month is to adopt a positive attitude and come in everyday knowing that you will take full advantage of every opportunity we give you to be a better athlete.

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