Friday 02.08.13

23 Comments

All evening classes at CRAIC are cancelled today.

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Failure is an Event, Not a Person

Understanding that failure is an event that happens to us and is not who we are is extremely important.

 When we catch a cold or hurt ourselves, we say “I have a cold” or “I sprained my ankle.” We don’t say “I am a cold” or “I am a sprained ankle.” We understand that these are things that happen to us, they are not who we are. This could be viewed as just semantics, but when you consider the likelihood that this kind of thinking can foster many negative effects on your mindset, the distinction is important.

 *We tend to become what we most often think about.*

 Why then is it so common for people to say things like “I am afraid” or “I am a failure”?  We need to try and switch our mindsets to the former way of thinking. “I have fear of …” , “I failed at …”. Understand that just because you are afraid or because you failed at something, it does not define who you are. It’s simply something that happened to you. When you fail at something, what do you do? Do you get upset and dwell on it or do you reassess, use the mistake for growth and try again? Edison said it best after his countless attempts at creating the light bulb:

 “I have not failed. I’ve simply discovered ten thousand ways that don’t work.”
Life is a constant game of risk vs reward, success vs failure, and trial and error. Keep doing what works, stop doing what doesn’t. The key here is to keep doing, not to simply find a solution and stop. Why do you think athletes keep playing after their team wins a championship, or why an author keeps writing books after they become famous, or why a fighter keeps fighting after he becomes champion of the world? All of these people understand that success is not a destination, it’s a journey. The most successful people do not get to the top and think “Ok, I’m done”, but rather- “Ok, whats next?”

 If you find yourself constantly beating yourself up over mistakes you make and things you fail at, try and switch your mindset by constantly reminding yourself that mistakes are important, failing at things are important, as long you keep doing you will eventually find your way towards success.

“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer. “
Albert Einstein 
Steve

Steve

Today's Workout

6 min amprap:
15 deadlifts
12 pushups
9 toes to bar
rest 3 min
6 min amrap:
12 deadlifts
9 pushups
6 toes to bar
rest 3 min
6 min amrap:
9 deadlifts
6 pushups
3 toes to bar

RX- 125/85
INT- 115/75
BEG- scaled weight, scaled no of pushups, sit-ups

  • leslie

    What a great post

  • Karyn Manning

    I love this post…perfect timing….kind of felt like it should say Dear Karyn at the top.

  • Jgfarnham

    I love this post!!

  • Curtz

    Great post, having this tattooed on the inside of my forearm as a reminder….

  • Jay c

    I like these workouts where its more of a battle of will, not skill for me.

    3+27/4+2/5+2

  • Anne D

    Great post. I did not fail at pushups today, I just need to find a better way to do them! :) Fun COD today 3+21/4+something/6

  • Gienah

    Failure IS an option. i love this post- keeping this one bookmarked.
    hit up the 7:30am crew today – it was great seeing some new faces. modified the wod:3+15/4/4+26. thanks for the coaching john!

  • Beth Mc

    Love the post. Good reminder to stay on the opposite side of “I didn’t/can’t do…”… it should be more ” I practiced/learned…………”.  I can’t wait to get 2 dh pullups in a row. Fun 7:30 John.
    4/4+18/5+15 @85#, knees to chest

  • BarbaraH

    I love the post John.  I love how holistic Craic is in what you coaches give us. You don’t coach fitness.  You coach living. :)   My outlook on life has changed as a result.  The work we do on all levels IS a metaphor for a more impactful, risk taking, purposeful, go for the gusto life. 

    Today was GREAT. John thank you for all the coaching on my form. I have decided to be humble with my work outs.  With a goal toward better form first and foremost as well as healing a strained shoulder and knee meniscus tear, I am starting lower and then backing down weights when I see that I’m not doing things right. 
    Round1 75# 2+21/Round2 65# 4+7/Round3 65# 6…and I did scaled push ups (even then a struggle) and sit ups. 

  • BarbaraH

     I loved being back with the 6:30 crew this morning. You always make me laugh and inspire me.

  • http://www.facebook.com/glen.schleehauf Glen Schleehauf

    no tatoos

  • Curtz

    You’re right, I can’t pull off that look….

  • Nicole B

    Great post!
    A lot of people at 7:30am class today. Trying to get a good workout in before the snow. I enjoy these pacing WODs.
    4+22/5+20/8+15(@85#,20″box push-ups, knees to chest)

  • Karyn Manning

    Did the pre-storm workout w/ the 7:30 crew today…fun class. I liked today’s wod and my push ups are getting better! Lost count, again. 3+/4+/5+

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002180533617 Pete Shaw

    I absolutely love and live by this post! My philosophy is “The
    only way to fail is to never try. If you give all you have how can you fail.” The
    harder some thing is for you the more gratifying it is once you accomplish what
    ever it may be. Put the work in and the world is yours! 

  • Anthony DeMusis

    I failed at kipping toe to bar so I did strict and I overslept so I did a nooner and it was great!
    4+27/4+15/6+3 @ 125#

  • Jtroberson

    5+2/5+6/7+12 @125#

  • Jacobs

    3+2/3+9/5 INT

  • Jacob

    I can’t wait to become a giant plate of buffalo wings.

  • Carleen

    It was a pleasant surprise to walk thru the doors @ 5:30 and see John!  Awesome work out!! 
    3+16/4+15/5+9 85LBS ( hanging knee pulls). 

  • http://www.facebook.com/tony.demusis Anthony DeMusis

    Lost count?  You’re a teacher?

  • http://www.facebook.com/tony.demusis Anthony DeMusis

    Us old people have the will!

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