: the act or state of expecting : anticipation <in expectation of what would happen>
2 a : something expected <not up to expectations> <expectations for an economic recovery>
b : basis for expecting : assurance <they have every expectation of success> c : prospects of inheritance —usually used in plural
3: the state of being expected
With a lot of people doing the Games Competition today, I thought it would be a good idea to get this out there. Setting an expectation for oneself can be daunting. A goal is completely different, so I want to clarify this first. A goal means that there is a path to a journey that you are going to begin. An expectation is that (most likely based on past experiences) something will occur that you are 90% sure about.
I want to throw some caution tape around expectation. It appears that some are downtrodden with their particular results, but if you gave it 100%, then there is nothing to be sad about. I watched a ton of people perform Open WOD #3. This was a difficult workout, no matter which way you look at it. If you were able to pick this weight off the ground, this workout was difficult, but difficult doesn't mean impossible. If they were walking around, lolly-dagging, playing grab-ass after the work out, then they either a) Didn't care; or b) Didn't try.
Just to be unequivocally clear, I did not see that, although I did witness a lot of heavy breathing followed by, "Whoooo - that was heavy."
I can only imagine what people were thinking about at the halfway mark, some took a step back from the bar and others kept plugging away. The air would or would not get into their lungs, but somehow the bar moved. And they would finish.
This workout was for some, a PR, attempt after attempt, just to clean the weight so they could stay in the game. For others, it was a GOAL to get 1 round, because the Jerk had been out of their reach. I got to speak with a number of people who PR'd and were absolutely thrilled with the results. More power to them and congratulations a 100 times over.
For some of the athlete's that knew the weight was within their 1 rep max and they had a clear distinguishable expectation of what they were going to achieve and then didn't, do not accept defeat. Did you know that there is still 1 more day? You can do this again - you know what to expect - you know that you didn't fail, but you didn't meet your expectation, therefore you are kicking your own ass mentally.
Either A) Do it again; or B) Let it go. If you choose A, kill it, find your zone and hunt your target down like a lion preying on a gazelle. But if you choose B, focus, write it down somewhere that you gave it your all and move on. That mentality does not need to be a part of your next workout. But the pain that you feel can be transferred into energy for your next workout, whatever that may be.
It is my thought that CrossFit, and exercising in general, does take a certain mental prowess. You have highs and lows. Good days, bad days, and everything in between. You have to stay level headed. For those of you privy to or amidst the long journey of mastering double-unders, you cannot perform them with rage, because they are a graceful movement. They require the mastery of a metronome - with synchronized visual motion of the wrists whipping the rope around the body and the light feet that move as well.
I won't say that you shouldn't set an expectation for yourself - that would be ridiculous. Just take into consideration that you don't know if tomorrow brings sickness or tomorrow brings health, so just go at it - this is how you approach workouts on a daily basis, so what has changed?
“The best things in life are unexpected - because there were no expectations.”
- Eli Khamarov
- Coach Tony
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