WARNING! Common Words Without Definitions

Want to know what’s awkward? It’s awkward when we have agreeable, common words that, when pressed, we cannot define. 

I’m reading a text book on luxury and it’s 1) fascinating and 2) surprising how unprepared I was to define what luxury even is as a fundamental concept. It’s in that moment that I quickly realized how familiar this illogical phenomenon is, because, after all, we have many words like this. 

I start Day 2 of nearly every Hold the Standard Summit with the following quipp: “we all want more leadership, but what is it?” I’ve taught that seminar on four continents and not one attendee has ever been ready to produce a definition. (NOTE: we eventually give you a clear and useful definition.)

Everyone wants fitness, but few can define it.

All shame aside, the problem with being passionate about and wanting a thing you cannot define isn’t helpful when it comes to getting it. 

When we slow down and give definitions, we make objective progress possible. Thankfully, CrossFit finally tried to produce a useful definition of fitness (“increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains”), but not everyone loves CrossFit. 

Come to think of it, I’ve never met anyone who hates CrossFit that could define it, either.