run your own race

Run your own race

Image: Huge CrossFit class on Saturday. In teams of two, we had to complete: 1000m wallball run, 100 burpees over bar, 800m run, 80 pull-ups, 600m plate carry run (20kg), 60 deadlifts (100kg), 400m lunge, 40 power cleans (60kg), 200 walking lunge, 20 Thrusters (60kg).

I’m a very competitive person. So I feel a bit hypocritical telling you what I’m about to tell you. But what the heck, here goes…

Over the last few weeks, I’ve taking CrossFit classes most days. We’re currently going to CrossFit Wanderlust in Canggu, Bali and the box is usually full of travellers like us.

When we start a workout, I feel this competitive beast awaken inside of me. I feel an urge to prove myself in front of people I don’t know and will probably never see again. Isn’t that the weirdest thing? Why would I care so much about what other people think, especially considering I’ll likely never see them again?

But I bet you can relate, right? That feeling of meeting someone new and wanting to give a good impression and look good.

It’s tricky in these situations to not let this competitive beast take control of my actions. Sometimes we’ll start a workout and I’ll see someone take off at a rapid pace and I want to push myself faster to catch up (and prove myself).

It’s at these times I remind myself – run your own race. Stick to the strategy and only focus on what I can control; my performance. More often than not, this person who’s pushing themselves like crazy is doing this because they’ve let their own beast take over and dominate their actions (what a rookie). And if I’m lucky, by running my own race and working at a steady pace, I’ll catch up and even beat the other person.

I’d like this think this example is a good metaphor for how we should think about other aspects of our lives. Run your own race, focus only on what you can control and forget what other people are doing.

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