"GET COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE"

“Get comfortable being uncomfortable.”

I found myself saying this a lot the last few years. It was said to me many years ago and simply stuck with me. With the Opens upon us I found myself using it more often.  The phrase is simple and straight forward much like the opens.

 With 14.1 behind us, the buzz is now on 14.2 Not that I want to focus on the past, but thinking back to 14.1; we saw a lot of negative reactions once it was announced. By no means am I implying these reactions weren’t valid based on the individual, but (as stated then and sticking with it now) what’s the point? The workout is the workout. Bottom-line, you are doing it, one way or the other; as are we all!

What we keep finding is those who instantly view the workout from this negative standpoint have a much harder initial barrier to break before being able to mentally prepare and get ready to attack the workout. This is where the phrase should kick in.

When I say “get comfortable being uncomfortable” to our athletes, it means just that. You’re taking part in the sport of CrossFit- constantly varied, high intensity, and functional movement. Nowhere is “comfortable” or “easy” mentioned. I understand the feeling that will come over you at some point in the workout-you hit that wall; breathing is rapid, lungs burning, muscles screaming, the weight increasingly becoming heavier with each round… but this is it! This is what we train for every day. To be able to push through that wall—to be comfortable with all that is causing discomfort.  To some this makes perfect sense and has been a phrase they hold on to, maybe even repeat as a mantra. For others, the ones whose initial reaction is negative; they haven’t found that point yet of which they can simply keep calm and continue on at that very moment where that wall is approaching; slowing down, dropping the bar and stepping back simply seems easier. My assumption is that instead of mentally preparing for those 10 minutes of hell, they had an additional obstacle to overcome. One that deals with expectations, performance anxiety, and self-doubt.

“Aint nobody got time for that!”

 Nothing about these workouts is “comfortable” for ANYONE-not even upwards of the highest athletes. They simply have higher scores, but 10 minutes of redline is 10 minutes of redline- whether you complete 3 rounds or 10. As long as you drop to the floor in exhaustion when that clock indicates time is up- you should be happy. But we found that not to be the case.

GET COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE.- say it with me.

I believe this phrase is VERY fitting for what we do in CrossFit, but honestly, could be used in most aspects of life. Sometimes things suck. Sometimes things are VERY shitty and we simply have to be ok with it. If we coward up, turn our backs, shy away; we generally get nowhere. Sometimes, you have just have to be comfortable with things getting worse before they get better; push through and keep that positive outlook. Whether it’s a few minutes during a 5 min AMRAP, or, the last week or months in real life. Either way, the circumstance is irrelevant. Get comfortable, being uncomfortable . . . and your ability to overcome obstacles, think clearer, adapt and overcome will become much greater.