Honesty about the Journey...

Yesterday I did a video about embracing the journey and trusting the process.  The destination is cool and all, but the journey is where all the growth happens.  A goal achieved is great, but look back on what it took to get you there.  If not for all the things that happened along the way, you may not have been strong enough to deal with the success of reaching that goal.  Trusting the process means embracing the journey and all that comes with it.

Here's what people won't tell you: the journey sucks.  It's full of fear, pitfalls, mud and muck, swamps, valleys, enemies, hatred, darkness, and evil.  Seriously.  I walk the journey everyday and I see it.  I struggle with depression. I wrestle with it daily, yet I get out of bed and come to work on days that keep many of my fellow sufferers in bed.  Why?

Because I ENJOY the journey.  I embrace the fight against the darkness.  I run at it headlong and at full steam (or as I tend to say, Full Tilt Boogie).  Why?

Because I have stood on the mountain tops and seen the valleys for what they are; illusions.  All the bad things that go thru your head about why you "can't" do something, it's all an illusion.  I hate clichès, but it's all F.E.A.R. False Evidence Appearing Real.  All the reasons you tell yourself you can't, it's all based on evidence that's not evidence at all, it's conjecture and assumption.  I'm not saying the struggle isn't real, I'm saying most of it is made up in our heads to scare us out of doing something hard.  Everything seems impossible until it's done.

I thought it impossible to own my own business, I'm building it and learning to own it.  I thought it impossible for someone like me to run long distance, I've done a marathon and a 30 mile Spartan Race.  I thought it impossible for me to be a good dad with a dad who abandoned me and a step-dad who was the example of what not to do but my kids are joyful, disciplined, kind, and we love each other.  There are days that I think it impossible to get out of bed because my body hurts and the thoughts that fill my head are all about how much I suck.  But I get out of bed because of the small voice inside of me that reminds me I have to fight.  Why?

2 reasons:

1) This Marianne Williamson quote - Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.  We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?  Actually, who are you not to be?  You are a child of God.  Your playing small does not serve the world.  There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.  We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.  It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.  And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

I LOVE watching you all embrace your own journey, it makes the fight worth it.  The brighter I can get myself to shine, the brighter I get to watch you all shine.  So go get it!!!

And 2) I genuinely enjoy the journey.  I enjoy the fight.  Because I have seen the mountain tops, and It. Is. BEUATIFUL!  But you'll never now how beautiful they are unless you see the mud and muck involved in the journey.

Winning 6 Months of CrossFit Just Got EASIER!!!

Wow.  No one?  No one wants to take the challenge?  Ok, let's give something different a try and I'll tell you why at the end. 

What if instead of having to beat me to win, just entering and participating with me gave you a shot to win?

Well, that's what I'm doing now.  Enter to participate with me in The Open and qualify for one of 3 prizes: 1) 6 months of FREE training at CrossFit Crossroads 2) 3 months of training at CFC.  3) 1 Free Personal Training Session with me.

Beating me still gets you a steak dinner, cuz, well...tradition I guess.

These stipulations still apply: 1) You must enter the contest using the form by clicking Here!!!.  2) If you currently attend a CrossFit gym, you are NOT eligible.  Stealing members is not my thing, sorry. 3) You must sign up for The Open at games.crossfit.com.  You must fill out your ENTIRE profile on the CrossFit Games site.  Yes, including an actual photo of you.  Also, you must list CrossFit Crossroads as your affiliate.  4)  All 5 Open workouts must be done at CrossFit Crossroads so that your scores can be verified.  Your training can be done elsewhere (Although we'd LOVE to have you train with us), but your official scores for the workouts must be done here, NO EXCEPTIONS.  5) You may enter the Rx Division or the Scaled Division depending on your ability level and we'll help you decide which to do if you don't know.  6) To be eligible for prizes you MUST participate in ALL 5 Open workouts.

There you have it folks.  The investment on your end is the $20 to enter The Open and you have a shot to train with coaches who care how you feel and how you progress toward your goal.

That's why I'm doing this.  CrossFit has changed my life and I'd love to give you a shot at changing yours.  You've tried the rest.  Now try the best.  Give it a shot.  You might surprise yourself with what you are capable of doing.

(If you missed the link above, here it is again).

CrossFit Crossroads 2017 Open Challenge

Win a 6 Month Membership!

So, you think you're fit?  You think CrossFit is for sissies, wierdos, or people who like getting hurt?You look at crossfitters and think "I could totally smoke them at (insert fitness oriented category)".  Okay.  Prove it.  What do you have to do?  It's simple, but first some quick background.

I started doing CrossFit full time in 2011.  It has been a long road filled with learning more about fitness and the fitness industry than I ever learned in school (I have a degree in Exercise Science).  In 2012 I entered my first CrossFit Open.  An open competition that serves 2 purposes; 1) (probably most famously) it is the initial qualifying step to the CrossFit Games.  For the elite folks, this is the main focus of "The Open".  2) For us mortals (yes I am quite mortal compared to those folks) it's a yearly check-in.  It's a chance to truly test whether or not you are actually doing the work to be fitter (or is it more fit?  I'm going with fitter) than last year.

Each year since 2013 I have issued the Coach B challenge: beat me in any one of the 5 workouts and I'd buy you a steak dinner.  4 years running and no takers.

So this year I'm upping the ante:  beat me in The Open and qualify for one of 3 prizes: 1) 6 months of FREE training at CrossFit Crossroads 2) 3 months of training at CFC.  3) A steak dinner (sorry, I had to do it for my own entertainment).  Beating me means you must place higher than me WORLDWIDE in order to win (yes, this is open to ladies and yes there are PLENTY of you ladies I'm sure could beat me).

There are stipulations: 1) You must enter the contest using the form by clicking Here!!!.  2) If you currently attend a CrossFit gym, you are NOT eligible.  Stealing members is not my thing, sorry. 3) You must sign up for The Open at games.crossfit.com.  You must fill out your ENTIRE profile on the CrossFit Games site.  Yes, including an actual photo of you.  Also, you must list CrossFit Crossroads as your affiliate.  4)  All 5 Open workouts must be done at CrossFit Crossroads so that your scores can be verified.  Your training can be done elsewhere, but your official scores for the workouts must be done here, NO EXCEPTIONS.  5) You MUST enter the Rx Division in order to be eligible for the top 3 prizes.  If the Rx Division seems out of your reach, you may enter the Scaled Division and I will be setting scores to beat there as well.  Scoring for those workouts will be handled in house.  There are also prizes for winning in the Scaled Division.  Come and see us for the info on that. 6) Win or lose you agree to participate in ALL 5 workouts.

There you have it folks.  The investment on your end is the $20 to enter The Open, and if I beat you, you owe me a hi-five, a bro hug, and a "see ya next year" (ok, and maybe a side wager of a beer and some good food, on an individual basis).

Come and get some.  I double dog dare you!  ( You missed the link above, here it is again).

CrossFit Crossroads 2017 Open Challenge