Madonna was right, we are living in a material world.
We tend to focus on the physical, as it’s “real”. It’s tangible, we can see it or touch it or measure it objectively. We’re spent most of our lives (and still do spend most of our time) focusing on the very objectively measurable that we can be forgiven for thinking that’s all there is.
So first, we think we need the weight loss, or the muscle gain, or increased strength or fitness. That’s where all the time and energy can be spent.
Weight on a scales, or on a barbell, is ‘easy’ to track. The same with the number of pull ups you’re doing and the time in the workout. This is part of the reason why CrossFit is so successful. You’re objectively tracking fitness rather than a vague “yeah I’m working out so I must be getting fitter” attitude.
There’s more to it though, and more than can be gotten out of it.
Just last week, one of our members posted that she’d qualified for a big competition. In addition to her now snatching what she squatted when she started with us, she posted this line “I’m more positive about life.”
This is WAY bigger than any physical achievement. This is the type of thing that will impact every other area of your life. It will carry over into taking on challenges with relationships, careers, and any other self imposed limitations.
When you start you’re probably not thinking about these ‘hidden benefits’, you just want to get a little fitter. The further you go the more you’ll see that the numbers on the whiteboard are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the rewards you get from taking on the challenge of CrossFit and all the victories that add up during your journey.
Considering how important our mental state is to us, shouldn’t we spend a little more time tracking and improving that directly, as much as we do our other numbers?