The dust has finally settled from the 2018 CrossFit Games. The Games is a whirlwind of a week full of fun and excitement, valor and grit, community and discipline. The Games arrive in a thunderous manner, overtaking us all by storm. Like any major storm, it leaves its mark along with lessons we can learn from and use to improve the quality of our lives.
I have learned valuable principles throughout my years competing at the Games. One of the most useful principles that stands out in every competition is the importance of preparation.
Preparation is key. Preparation breeds confidence. Preparation makes you clutch. Preparation helps you stand out. Preparation is what takes down giants. Preparation is what allowed little King David to slay Goliath. Had he not been prepared, he would have lacked the skill necessary to defeat an army with the single whip of a sling.
I will be honest with you, I feel a bit of disappointment in my placement at the Games. Yes, I am SO grateful for the opportunity and I know that gracefully receiving defeat may even have a larger impact on people’s lives. But that doesn’t mean we should ever accept defeat.
Wear defeat with grace, but relentlessly prepare to win!
Several people have pointed at external circumstances such as travel, humidity, lack of sleep, change in nutrition or social environments… but the truth is in the test.
The obstacles I faced, the events in which I struggled or excelled, all stemmed from my level of preparation. I hold the power to change that; therefore, it is my responsibility to work as hard as I can to do so. Each of us hold that responsibility for the outcome of our own lives.
“I will prepare and some day my chance will come.” – Abraham Lincoln
We all have a dream or vision that we would love to accomplish. We will all face the day when the opportunity to take ourselves to the next level arises. Will we be able to seize the moment? Only if we vigorously prepare. For what we do in the dark when no one is watching will determine what we are able to do in the light on the big stage.
During the 2018 CrossFit Games we saw athletes from all over the world display beautiful performances. Some were simply more prepared for the test than others. It is my prayer that we all may have the wisdom to consistently prepare in a way that allows us all to overcome any test we may face.
Godspeed, my friends!
#BeKindWorkHard