Let’s name a few things that we could all agree are difficult. Doing 3000 burpees is difficult. Furthermore, it’s almost beyond the realm of possibility in our minds. What else? Winning fours straight World Series Games against the New York Yankees is as tough as it gets when your 3 games down in a seven game series.
Things are looking easier already.
Now, let’s flip those two examples on their heads. What’s more difficult, one burpee or 3000? What more difficult, winning one World Series game or four in a row? Seems almost patronizing to ask, doesn’t it?
Well, what can we gather form this experiment? Doing one thing is much easier than doing a bunch of things. Simple enough. I’d like to add, however, that we are hitting on a point that is at the core of elite performance. Since, 1 shot is easier than 100 shots, why not shoot 100 shots as if they are 100 different single efforts?
The Red Sox got beat the first three games of the 2004 World Series against the Yankees, leaving them just one loss away from losing the series. They came back (for the first time in MLB history) to win four straight games and take the title. Funny thing is most folks wouldn’t be able to shake the fact that A) No one’s ever won 4 straight in history B) They must win four games C) the “pressure.” Not a single Red Sox team member, however, perceived it that way. They tired to win one pitch at a time. One inning at a time. One game at a time. It’s cliche, but they lived it. Imagine actually believing what they believed.
Most would agree, “Sure. We can win one game.” Well, if you believe that then your set. Win one. Then, repeat.
What you have here is a tool to make hard things easier. It’s called performing in the moment. It allows us to accomplish the same amount of work with less perceived difficulty. Like anything else, it takes practice, but it’s well worth it. I challenge you all to practice this in your workouts, practice it in your life, and master working in the moment.
Logan Gelbrich
——————–
Monday’s Workout:
In teams of two, AMRAP 20:
7 Sandbag Ground to Shoulder
7 Over the Bag Burpees
7 Sandbag Back Squats
