Accountability

I felt like yesterday, more than any other day, that it had been a long time since I had written.  "Musings," I kept telling myself, "will get you nowhere."  The same happens to hold true of working out, just because you think about it, doesn't mean anything is actually happening. . .




A long time ago (or a short time ago, depending on the reader), a parental figure stood in front of you and told you that you had to actually work to get something.

"Aghast, your jaw dropped to the floor!"


Aghast, your jaw dropped to the floor!  Work, absolutely not - there was Timmy who never had to work, William who miraculously could do anything he wanted at the drop of a dime, and Becky whose parents gave her the shirt of their back.


But you had to work.  Mumbling, grumbling and stomping your feet.  A lawn mowed, a yard raked, delivering a newspaper (what's that?), or some other task.


You learned life's lessons of working hard and having it pay off.  A bonus, a raise, a job well done, a thank you and most importantly, an unforgettable experience of pride.

The job became more stressful when there were certain things on the line - a family, a career, mortgages, and the like.  


Interestingly, we (I use this term loosely) have forgotten that keeping our bodies in shape is part of that job.  We forget about the stress of sitting at a desk 8 hours a day.  The stress of nights where food is plentiful, but we don't want to cook.  There are also the nights where we don't get to sleep as much as we would like.  And even more applicable, are the days/nights when going to perform some type of exercise is hindered by the grey matter rattling between our ears.  

We try to combat all of these external-macro factors that make their way into our lives with the first form of defense. . . . 

We look to people for accountability - but what is accountability?  Is it the acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for actions?  Great definition, satisfies my palate.  A whole slew of synonyms attach themselves to this word:
good faith, honesty, integrity, liability, loyalty, obedience, pledge, respect, reverence 

As far as actions - let's throw out a couple and see what sticks:

• a certain amount of times to the box (gym)
• eating clean
• getting sleep
• proper hydration
• meeting a goal

Part of this you can do on your own.  Part of this you can do with a family member, significant other, or friend, and still the last part you can put in someone you trust. What you can't do is get mad when they hold you accountable.  Recently we (at the box) have been asked to hold people accountable and watch you succeed at your goals.  We can only begin to fathom at why people would want to reach out to their Coach, my guess, it's honest criticism that pervades your life like flowers on a trellis (not my best analogy), but the point has now been made.  CrossFit is hard, you've trusted us to start and guide this journey, and the best part is we haven't even gotten to the summit, we have only been hitting peaks (hikergal reference).   

We want you to succeed, but what we don't want to have happen is you fall of the wagon.  Remember, each step is one more towards your goal.  We have seen many people achieve their goals by becoming so enamored by them - as if that was their being.  Find that state of being - if CrossFit is the key to this goal, my suggestion is to go at it with a full throttle (Charlie's Angels).  There is no doubt that life throws a wrench at you once in awhile, for example, trying to eat clean and going into work on a day when there is a potluck of Five Guys and Joey Garlic's Steak & Cheese (hey! Some of us are allowed to dream!) and to top it all off someone decides to bring in Death by Chocolate as a dessert.



"If it is going to set you back, ask yourself if it is truly worth it?"
 

You can't be held accountable if you aren't sharing your thoughts, your daily activities, and lastly, your challenges.  However, where you can be held accountable is if you share your goals with everyone! 

Now ain't that a kick in the arse?         

It is the sure fire way to achieve whatever you wish - if it is truly what you desire - and no matter what, you actually have to work to achieve something.

"When it comes to privacy and accountability, people always demand the former for themselves and the latter for everyone else. "
               -  David Brin

-Coach Tony