Oh How Far You Have Come

Setting goals and moving forward! When we talk about about fitness, this is often what we’re referring to. One of the central tenants of CrossFit is “evidence-based fitness,” i.e. measurable, observable, repeatable. In order for us to gauge how far we’ve come, we must have something to measure against. For us, it’s not just about saying we feel fitter, it’s being able to say we shaved x-number of minutes off the same exact workout we did 8 months ago, or that we PR’d by x-number of pounds from when we first started. We see the difference as facts that are indisputable; we’re not the same person from before. We have grown and improved.

Taking inventory of how far you’ve come is also a huge key to success in any area of life. Striving to get better; reaching for that next PR is what helps keep us motivated and constantly growing. Isn’t it so rewarding when we meet our goals? Who doesn’t love that feeling of accomplishment. But what do we do when we feel like we are not advancing? Or maybe we find ourselves hitting a bit of a set back?

Here are a couple of tips to help pull you out of that pit of discouragement we sometimes fall into along our fitness journey. 

First is to check in and see who or what you might be comparing yourself to. It is so easy to come up short when we compare ourselves to others. A little friendly competition can be great  motivation to push harder, but when we start measuring who we are based on how we perform against others we lose sight of our own unique journey. If you find yourself doing this, take a mental step back and look at the facts of your own fitness journey, regaining focus and perspective. 

The second piece is to remember just how far you have come. The moment a feeling of discouragement arises in this area I encourage you to remember all the way back to where you began. Remember when you first started and how you felt in your body? How is today different than that time? You’ll quickly see that you are a walking success story made up of numerous victories which have gotten you right where you are now, a healthier version of you. You should really give yourself a standing ovation. You earned it! 

Remember your story!

I want you to build some benchmarks in your life you can constantly go back to and remember how far you have come. Measurable, observable, repeatable. Whether it’s your baseline, other benchmark workouts provided by your coaches, or your own, doing so will give you the proof to see just how far you have truly come. Well done!

Coach Amy