How to win at the Open and Everyday in the Gym || Coach Wes Kimball

We are now officially in CrossFit Open season. Whether you care about the CrossFit as a sport or not, your life (at the very least your Facebook feed) is now a buzz with the ups, downs, trials, and tribulations of thousands of people competing against one another in an online exercise competition. I personally like the Open because it amplifies all the things good and bad we experience as a community dedicated to self improvement. So today’s article isn’t really about the Open, it’s about how we operate on a day to day basis with each other and how we can make those experiences continue to be fulfilling.

It’s ok to be competitive
For better or worse, CrossFit is based on competition. You compete against yourself, and you compete against those around you everyday. If you have a goal you’re trying to achieve, you are competing against that asshole in your head that says you’re not good enough and you can’t do it.  It’s healthy to want to beat the negative voice inside your head, it’s good to aspire to be like the athlete in class that’s been training consistently for the last five years, and it’s good to see your name move up or down on the leaderboard each week. Competition is the nudge out of the comfort zone that most of us need to seek fulfillment in what we do in life.  

Don’t be overly competitive

However, there is an ugly side to competition. The side that rears its head when competing and becomes all consuming. When it’s your only motivation, the only thing you put value in, then it becomes a problem. The only purpose you have at the gym or in life, and in this example, your only reason for doing the Open. This is a problem because ultimately the joy of accomplishment is fleeting, the moment will pass. Stress, anxiety, and general unhappiness will engulf you if you only seek fulfillment from your accomplishments.

Focus on you, and enjoy the process  

We all fail, and we all struggle. The goal is to not fail permanently, to take pride in who we are win or lose. To enjoy what you do, and do it to serve a bigger purpose and bring value to yourself and those around you. Love the process, help those around you, and bring good energy to the space you you occupy.  The pursuit of self improvement gives us pride, confidence, and a purpose that can’t be quantified by a leaderboard or a trophy. So give yourself the opportunity to enjoy what really matters.
-Coach Wes