Beat Yourself

While sport is by nature competitive, we often get sucked into the comparison game in our little sphere of the world. Rather than gauging your performance based off the other’s at your gym, your friends lifts on Instagram, or the top CrossFit Games athletes, its important to focus on your biggest competitor…your mind and yourself! The mental aspect of any sport is often one of the hardest things to master. Here are a few tips to becoming more mentally tough and beating your mind at the gym every day:

1. Know yourself. Each day you step into the gym take the time to acknowledge that everyone is there for their own reasons. Every one wants to be a better version of themselves. Every one is working to improve their specific weaknesses. Everyone is working to become stronger. Appreciate that you are a work in progress and challenge yourself to see what you are capable of at this moment. 
2. Surround yourself with positives. Negativity kills. Listen to what you are saying about the workouts, your coaches, competitors, and your performance. Negative talk gets you nowhere and has a detrimental carryover effect to your actual performance. You have the ability to choose your words both internally and externally. Make the choice to use positive talk and see how your whole world changes.
3. Set daily goals. Walk into the gym each day with a defined intention. Some days this could be a goal in the MetCon or weightlifting portion. Other days it may just be “keep moving and have fun.” Whatever the goal for the day, keep it in mind as you move through your training and workout. Consistently focused days add up to visible progress in the long run!
4. Face your fears often. Attack what scares you the most. Are you afraid of handstand walks? Get upside down often. Heavy barbells scare you? Good, get to the gym on heavy lifting days. The more you make friends with your fears, the sooner they will disappear and become strengths.
5. Find your zone. Focus on your own space and your bar. When it is go time, bring your focus to your movement, your steady breathing, and your positive thoughts and mantras. Keep your intentional focus and stay in your zone. Before you know it, the grueling workout will be over and you will be another day fitter!