James can be reached at TwinFreaks CrossFit, where he is an owner and trainer. James coaches barbell lifting classes and CrossFit classes. Contact him by email at james@twinfreakscrossfit.com or by phone at 720-204-2631.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Goals & it's Past Time to Fucking go off Here

I was happy to see that VP and MG took the initiative in putting up a goal board at TFCF, and I'm happy to watch it start filling up. There are many ways to get to where you want to go, but it's necessary to have some more or less defined idea of where exactly it is you're going. I suppose there is an anti-goal camp, and possibly that's okay for them, but I've always tried to set goals. There are many sources explaining effective goal setting, and they do a better job than I do. I'd only say make your goals meaningful to you. Maybe I'm biased, but I think the strangest looking thing on the board so far is my own goal of rowing a 1:26.4 500m. It seems arbitrary, but actually that represents a triple body weight in wattage 500 for me. I can't expect anyone to be as enamored of rowing as I am, but within our cult, the triple body weight 500 is a serious rite of passage, and it's a good example of what I think of as meaningful. Sure, if you really can't think of anything Earth shaking for you as an individual, join the pull-up club. At least you'll find new motivation to progress, and along the way maybe you'll discover another goal nearer your own heart.

Now I'd like to take some time to write on the difference between behaviors and outcomes. I didn't invent this line of thinking either, but after encountering it, it had a big impact on my thinking and my long term prospects for progress. It's simply this: rowing a 1:26.4 500 is an outcome, and in the end, I can't force a certain outcome. Focusing on outcomes can be dangerous in that if the outcome is not met, dejection sets in. I can provide my own perfect example. You'll see that my primary goal is acheiving a 200 kilo squat, and while it wasn't written publicly until a few days ago, that was also my primary goal back in July. At that time I was sure I would hit 200k by November 2010, when in reality I squatted 365 pounds, a full 10 less than I had done in July. Shit happens. I've learned that a healthier and ultimately more productive idea is to focus on behaviors. Squatting 200 k requires certain behaviors, for example I have to squat once a week, attend to my rest, eat well, and so on. These are behaviors, and in the end, I have perfect control over them. Further if I'm consistent in hitting my behavioral goals, there's a good chance I'll eventually get my desired outcomes also.

To fucking go off now, which I assure you has to be done lest I put a medicine ball through someone's head, let me start with some background without I hope giving too much detail. Basically, my personal life is chaotic, uncertain, and for those that have developed the stoicism I have had to, actually fun most of the time. Right now I'd assess my position as almost in the gutter, and yet perilously close to being successful. I never suspected that the two could be so close together. As further necessary background, let me admit that I have developed a fluid sort of morality as that seems to me to have been necessary to survive in the way I do. I can, however, unhesitatingly say I have never fucked over anyone who has earned my loyalty, and though I've regretted it more than once, one of the easiest things to do is earn my loyalty.

So the problem, it seems, is that some fuckhead is apparently threatened enough by my utter failure - wild success tightrope walking act, that he feels it necessary to start the kiddy, behind-the-back rumor mongering. Word on the street, or those streets behind my back at any rate, is that I'm shutting down my operation.

Nice try junior high.

I started doing what I do because I love it. I'm going to finish doing what I do because I still love it, and many of you have come to love it.

There is a good chance I'll downsize, but only to the extent that I'll get rid of unused capacity. I certainly won't be cutting service.

Don't believe the shit talk. You'll know when I'm quitting because it will be several months or years after I start sleeping in the gutter.

So immature shit-talker, have at it. Huff and puff and so on.

Me and mine are setting goals and exceeding them.

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