For some motivation comes easy. For most it is a chore. One thing everyone needs to realize is that staying motivated is a never ending job and if you wish to achieve something in your endeavors then you need to work at it. We will all go through stages where something will light a fire inside us and we will smash the gym for three days straight. Then the following week we lose interest, what was driving us last week is no longer relevant. That is the time that we need to search for the next spark that will push us for one more week, and then another, and another.

Then winter comes along. Which is where we find ourselves at present. Suddenly we all have a convenient reason to stay in bed and not go to the gym. The colder nights make it hard to go to the PM Sessions and the warm fireplace calls us home earlier than normal.

It’s one of my roles as a coach to keep people motivated to train however sometimes with some people I am at a loss. I witness demotivation and bad attitudes creep in the front doors of my box all the time. It’s your job to stay motivated. It’s your job to keep your friends motivated. Negativity and demotivation is contagious. You are who you hang around, and if you are surrounded by people who whine, make excuses, skip training or even give up then you run a risk of becoming one of those people

It is our duty of care as members of a CrossFit community to keep each other motivated and to not let each other lose sight of why we train. We train to be healthy, strong and capable in order to live fuller lives. After the hard work is done and the chalk has settled then we can enjoy and live our life to the fullest and hopefully alongside a team of awesome CrossFit friends

So now it’s time to take a look at yourself. Get off your ass and get back to the gym. If you want to post on Facebook about how you are a hardcore CrossFitter then get to the damn box and earn the privilege. Rip into your friends who you know are slacking and get them back to the box.
Take ownership of your training. It’s not my job as your coach to know your 1RM Push press, It is yours. Documenting your progress will in turn show and re-affirm why you put yourself through the pain. When you see the progress it will fuel motivation. Know your lifts, know your scaling, Own your training, start thinking of yourself as the athlete that you are. If you are looking for a program that you can stroll into, exercise for 45-60 min then forget about it, I can tell you that this program is not it. I expect from my athletes drive, commitment, a good attitude, goals and a burning desire to kick any challenge in the chest and then step on its face as you walk over the top of it.

The next time you want to turn up to training and whine to me about motivation and your lack of it, give yourself an uppercut. Instead ask me for help, suggestions and a willingness to try what I suggest. I’m here to point you in the right direction and guide your journey but not to hold your hand and do the tough stuff for you.

There will be no WOD’s posted for the next week, if you are committed to improving yourself then you will come in regardless of the WOD. Instead spend the time writing down your goals and hand them to me TOMORROW when you go to the box to train like a beast. In return I will come up with a course of action to help you achieve the goals that you have set for yourself.

If you want to know one of the things that motivate me then this video is a sure fire way to get me fired up. The speech by Eric Thomas (AKA The Hip Hop Preacher).