Struggle Harder

Do you ever find yourself seeing other people react to something and saying to yourself,

I wouldn't have gotten so excited

I wouldn't have started crying

I would have held my shit together

I would have told them what I really thought!

and so on...

How accurate is that perception?

Let's take it to a place we're familiar with, the gym setting.  Here's the scenario, you are fried from two HEAVY days of conditioning, but need another workout to satisfy your weekly goal.  You go in and its [insert worst fear movement #1] plus [insert worst fear movement #2] and rowing for calories (everyone hates fucking rowing for calories).
What happens?  First, if you haven't handled it already, you probably take a trip to "the office" for a quick read-through of todays paper.  Next, you mull around warming up like a jackass, trying to avoid anything resembling "getting your head in it" because that would only cause you to have to resort back to the first thing you did.
So, there you are, cold muscles, head in the clouds, fearful of your upcoming personal kryptonite workout, and 3, 2, 1...you're fucked now!

It's basically the same thing as watching someone REACT poorly to some external stimulus.  They have some thing that triggers their emotions, usually fear, and from that thing they are now its servant.  They have given up control of their lives to an idea, an object, a person, etc.

Here's my point, we all know things will come up from time to time that are just going to be flat out awful for us to go through.  But therein lies the opportunity.  The problem, as they say, is the solution.
It begins by holding yourself accountable to yourself.  Just because rowing for calories pops up doesn't mean you are no longer great at [insert favorite, most elite-ly performed movement here], it just means you get another shot to fix a part of something not-so-great, and you aren't going to let a movement dictate your ability to struggle and learn a bit.  Accountable to the fact that YOU ACTUALLY SUCK at something.  As I have gone through the last 3 years of training I am more in tune with things that DESTROY me than the things I can pursue with no thought.  I can list 10 things I suck at the drop of a hat.  Its because to get better at them takes tons of focus and awareness that I can tell when I make even the slightest of improvements.

It is very easy to say "I'll never be good at pushups.", it is a REACTION.  That immediately takes the blame off of YOU.  But guess where that blame needs to be?  In order for you to want to be better you have to reject where you are.  If you blanket yourself with the attitude "What's the point?" you will never see the point in trying.  In fact, you will continue to perform shitty warmups (literally) and let opportunity slip past you every time something awful arises because you are afraid of revealing your truest, most inner self.  You are fearful that deep down, you just aren't good enough.  You are afraid that you will be exposed, humiliated, laughed at.

You fear.

I'm here to tell you, it's ok.  You fear, but we all fear.  You will be exposed, but in good company.  You will be humiliated briefly, but will gain humility.   Through the trials you will gain an understanding about yourself that previously eluded you.  And from that confidence will spawn.  As you notch the belt of effort, you will soon see how the buckle will clasp, and hope will fill your heart.

Reaction is for the weak.  Strength comes to those who place one foot in front of the other and learn what it takes to gain footing.  The next time a Death-WOD comes up, embrace it.  Warm-up with purpose.  Take your time seriously and plan a way to make progress.  There is always a way.  Use the unsettled feeling in your stomach and throat as drive, and passionately slaughter your weakness.

Definitely working their weaknesses.