Whenever you feel discouraged, I encourage you to look back down the mountain.
What does that mean? It means that when you fall short of an expected outcome, it’s essential to reflect on how far you’ve already come.
Why is looking down the mountain so hard for us? Ego.
Your ego is what brought you into the gym in the first place. That ego that told you that you could be better if you tried is the same ego that can derail you if you let it. Your ego begins to tell you a story: you should be farther along than you are. You should be running faster, getting more rounds in, or lifting heavier. When you don’t, you immediately fall into the trap of self-doubt, believing you aren’t good enough.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
When you were new to CrossFit, almost every class brought a new PR (personal record). Early on, rapid progress is normal because everything is new. Chasing that constant progress is part of what makes initial training so fun! But as you become more experienced, PRs naturally come few and far between. This happens because you’re stronger, more capable, and closer to your potential.
Congratulations: you are no longer a beginner athlete; you’re an intermediate one.
As an intermediate athlete, results take longer and require more effort. That isn’t a sign that something is wrong—it’s simply what happens when you graduate from being a beginner.
So what can you do when progress slows? Look back down the mountain.
Looking back is a vital tool for keeping that original spark alive. When you’re feeling discouraged, check your early training log or sit back and reflect on where you started:
- Then: You had to use your arms to push yourself up out of a chair. Now: You can back squat 100lbs.
- Then: A single burpee was a 30-second struggle that required a box or bench for help. Now: You can do 5 burpees in 30 seconds.
- Then: Doing a single push-up was tough. Now: You just finished a workout with 50 of them.
- Then: You eked out your first ring muscle-up. Now: You are doing multiple sets of 5 in a workout.
- Then: You would fall every time you tried to walk on your hands. Now: You can do 25’ without stopping.
It stings when expectations don’t match immediate results, but it’s crucial to acknowledge your progress. Keep in mind that not all results show up on the PR board at the gym. Many of your biggest wins happen in your day-to-day life:
- Playing with your grandkids
- Carrying all your groceries from the car in one trip
- Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
- Running to catch a flight without losing your breath
- Planting and tending your own garden
- Walking 18 holes of golf
- Getting up off the ground unassisted after a fall
- Seeing your blood cholesterol numbers improve
These moments might not get written on a whiteboard, but they are ABSOLUTELY personal records.
Remember, your ego is just a tool. It works for you when it gets you into the gym and drives you to strive for more. But it works against you when you let it fuel negative self-talk.
The next time you feel like you’ve “lost it,” look back down the mountain, remember how far you’ve climbed, and let that fuel your next step forward!