Article 7: 2016 Reflections

As 2016 is nearing the end, it is a time to reflect back on your year and truthfully evaluate your successes (or shortcomings). Although this is a time for reflection, in which many may take as the end, I’d like to think of it as a beginning to recognize accomplishments and an opportunity to set up a new mindset for successes in the coming year.

The main point that I think is important to reflect on is ‘Why do you Train?’ There are many different reasons we all train such as; to lose weight, gain muscle, run faster, or to ________ , you fill in the blank. Not everyone has the same goal but the one thing we all have is; the ambition to be a better human being. Finding your “why” is very beneficial to the mental side of the daily grind that comes with training. It allows you to deal with adversity and never give up. Had a bad day at work and just don’t feel like going to the box? Remember your “why”. Tough WOD and you feel like quitting? Remember your “why”.

Having your “why”, understanding it, and embracing it, puts you in a position when faced with a negative to be able to flip it into a positive. A great quote from Ben Bergeron of CrossFit New England reads; “Every single scenario is one of two things, it’s either an Obstacle or an Opportunity … YOU choose how you view them” understanding your “why” helps you make that decision of climbing over the obstacle or taking the opportunity to get better.