We is better than me
When is an individual effort greater than a team effort? Even the most elite among us have a team behind them. Friends who give feedback, family who have supported through time and money, coaches and teachers who have helped develop thoughts and skills, partners who align with their vision or plans. It seems as though the collective wisdom of a team is greater than the solo input of the individual. Why then, do we continue to manage our health and wellness by ourselves? When we are around a community of like-minded people, we naturally are motivated to do more, stick with a program longer, and succeed in overcoming obstacles. This is what I believe to be an incredibly powerful element and why I continue to be an active member of the CrossFit community…THE COMMUNITY.
A few weekends ago, my wife, myself, and other members of our gym competed in Duluth, MN. This was my first individual competition so I began my preparation long in advance, training with my wife, attending regular classes at the gym and eating well throughout that time. We spent time practicing the workouts and strategizing how to make them more efficient. Some of the gym members not competing even joined us practicing the workouts before the regular class times. Along with the physical training, my wife was also great helping me stay the course with eating well and not over indulging in the desserts as we all know it is so easy to do. These efforts of accountability and practicing together made staying consistent with my goals much more manageable.
During the competition, near the end of a long workout, my lungs were burning, my legs were tired, and I just wanted to rest, but in order to do well I could not put the weight down. What kept me going were the screams and shouts of encouragement from the gym members right on the rails of the spectator barricade. I was surprised at the number of gym members that drove the couple hours to support those of us that were competing! They were shouting, “Keep going!”, “Don’t put that dumbbell down!!” They knew that I could keep moving even when my mental strength was waning. They knew I had more to give in that moment. I realized that I was not just there for myself. I was there for my friends, for the other gym members, and I was representing my gym. The sense of accountability you feel when you know that you’re supported by people can do amazing things! At that point it is no longer about “I”, it is about “us”! I wanted to represent those that supported me well. Did I win the event, no, but I did complete it better than I had in training by a significant margin.
As I reflect on the last workout of the weekend, which I was looking forward to the least, a couple things that were pretty remarkable happened: First, I completed the workout, which I hadn’t done in training. Second, my opponents who finished the workout then turned and cheered for me! Despite it being a competition, we’d spent the time getting to know one another, chatting about workouts we were looking forward to—or not—and even sharing tips and techniques for what we were about to do. When it was all over, new relationships were forged and there’s even a group photo celebrating a job well done.
If you’re in the gym and your buddy, or coach, tells you to keep moving, try to get that extra rep, because they believe in you. They know that you can do more. They know that voice in your head that says “I can’t” is a liar. Growth comes when we are challenged. Healthy challenge comes through relationship. If we are going to grow, we need community.
