Sometimes we can get a few weeks or even months of questioning why we are doing something. Even though it is something we love, you can’t seem to get out of a slump. That’s when you need to find your why. What does that mean exactly? Finding your why? Whatever journey you are currently on it’s important to understand why you want to do what it is that you are doing. This question should be asked not only within fitness but also in any other aspect of your life. I want to continue CrossFitting for as long as I can. How can I keep myself motivated to do that? I’ll go through this with you using myself as an example.
Why do I CrossFit?
I CrossFit because…
1. I want to compete at Regionals (again).
2. I want to get strong.
3. I want to join competitions.
They are all great reasons and can serve to be someone’s “why”. But they don’t work well for me as my main reason for CrossFitting. I need a better WHY. Because sometimes, things get in the way, you face obstacles, struggles, hardships, and other priorities come up. Sometimes the reasons I listed above don’t help to keep me motivated. Let me explain.
1. I want to compete at Regionals:
My first reason is to compete at Regionals. Qualifying and competing in Korea in 2013 was such a great experience and I want to experience that again (except now it’s in Copenhagen). But I haven’t been able to qualify to Regionals since 2013. Every year it gets harder. I did take almost a year off when I got pregnant, but that’s beyond the point. Every year I have to train harder and compete against hundreds of other athletes who also have the same goal. What happens if I don’t make it next year or the year after? How will I keep myself motivated if my only reason to CrossFit is Regionals?
2. I want to get strong.
My second reason is to get strong. Getting strong is such an empowering feeling, especially for a woman. I didn’t do any weightlifting before CrossFit, so the feeling I got lifting was something new and I loved it. But I will get some days where the weight feels extra heavy, where I can’t lift my usual numbers. I will get days where I’m too tired, too lazy, too unmotivated to lift heavy. What if other athletes start getting stronger faster than me? What if I can’t reach the level of strength I had set in my mind? What if getting strong takes years and years? How will I keep myself motivated if my only reason to CrossFit is to get strong?
3. I want to join competitions.
My third reason is to compete. But the truth is I was never a competitive person growing up. Actually I hated any sort of competition. I didn’t like to play monopoly, I didn’t like to play sports, and I hated the confrontations a competitive atmosphere would bring. I eventually developed my own competitive nature through CrossFit. What if I one day lose that competitive drive? What if I decide I don’t like competitions anymore? How will I keep myself motivated to continue CrossFit if my only reason is joining competitions?
All three points that I listed above are goals that I have set for myself, but on days when I am questioning everything I am doing and not feeling so good, thinking about them does not help keep me motivated. I need a reason that will remind me WHY I started CrossFit in the first place.
That’s when I realized my real WHY.
I CrossFit because it’s fun!
It’s that simple.
I started crossfitting because I was bored with my work and social life in Kuwait. I wanted to be challenged, I wanted something exciting, and I wanted to do something fun! That’s when I went out searching and found CrossFit.
Whenever I start questioning myself and I don’t feel motivated, I remind myself that I love this sport and I am doing this for fun. The first thing that happens once I am reminded of why I started, is that suddenly any pressure I had put on myself is gone. I’ll play my favorite song and get back to training. I can apply my WHY for many years to come, even when I stop competing. I CrossFit because it’s fun.
Other great WHY’s for CrossFit:
-To live a fit lifestyle
-To become part of a supportive community of likeminded people
-To grow old with a strong and healthy body
-It makes you happy
-Because lifting weights is your therapy
-So you can eat more carbs (just kidding, but no seriously.)
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