Stephan Contratti

Super Artikel von Amy Lawson über die Person wo am Ende wirklich zählst, nämlich „Du selbst“! (Artikel auf Englisch)

Who are you really? What brings you the most enjoyment? What brings you peace and fulfillment with life? Why do you do what you do? Why do you train?

These questions may seem a little deep when you came here looking for great info on training, but I think the secret to improving training, staying motivated and feeling satisfied with your results stems from an understanding of purpose.

I recently finished reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. In the book, Rubin discusses her yearlong journey to taking simple steps to add more happiness into her life. Rubin talks about how the project started not because she was unhappy with
her life, but because she was seeking to bring more enjoyment to her everyday routine. The major takeaway of the book for me speaks to something that often plagues my training—lack of purpose, or probably more accurately—a lack of focus on one purpose can lead to a general sense of dissatisfaction.

Here’s what happens to me… I run, CrossFit and lift heavy. While I enjoy all of those activities, training all three areas can be quite exhausting and stressful—exactly the opposite of what we want training to add to our lives. I find myself feeling like I’m in a hamster wheel, trying to keep up with all the different training plans that will help me reach “optimal performance.”  Meanwhile, the joy is lost. I burn out and lose interest in all forms of training. Back at square one, scratching my head, I try to regain my lost motivation.

I only find it again when I take the time to figure out what it is that brings me
joy. When I focus on those things in training (or in life, for that matter) that
fulfill me, then I’m at my best.

FOMO plays a big part in feeling discontented, too. FOMO, or the Fear Of Missing Out, can inspire us to explore greater heights and depths in life, but it can also cause us to feel great dissatisfaction—to feel as if everyone else is out there doing awesome and amazing
feats and leaving us behind in average land. Seeing a friend’s Instagram posts of her adventures paddle boarding, his adventures mountain biking, or their team marathon relay leaves me feeling like… I need to try that; my life is so boring; I’m missing something.

I propose that we develop a personal philosophy to give us clarity. After all, Yogi Berra once warned, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you might end up some place else.” If you haven’t solidified in your own mind who you really are and what your passions and beliefs are, then how can you ever find satisfaction with life, your training, your profession and yourself as a human being?

Begin by thinking through the following areas. Write them down. Memorize them and let them guide your daily life.

Begin by thinking
through the
following areas.
Write them down.
Memorize them
and let them
guide your
daily life.

 

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Begin by thinking through the following areas. Write them down. Memorize them and let them guide your daily life.

1. What matters to me? It’s a basic question, but this should be the foundation. What is important to you?

Faith, family, a healthy lifestyle, the environment, social justice… what is it that stirs your emotions? If the thing that you’re fretting about doesn’t fall into your top 5, then forget it and move on. Don’t do things that don’t align with your personal beliefs. Spend time doing things that matter.

2. What am I good at? Typically we love to do what we are good at, and we become good at doing that which we love. You’ve heard the quote, attributed to Confucius and other
sources, “Find something you love to do, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” If you constantly find yourself dreading your current routine, whether it be your training or your profession, then find a way to mix it up. Perhaps it’s time to move on.
Don’t get stuck in the rut of doing what you always do because you’ve always
done it. Explore.

Do things that matter.
Explore.
Challenge yourself.

 

3. What do I need to improve at? While doing the things we love and are good at will bring a sense of ful-fillment, we can’t just continue to avoid the things we aren’t good at. Joy comes from facing things we don’t like and aren’t good at and overcoming them.
While you want to make sure you’re not wasting time on activities that you don’t
enjoy, you also need to think about whether that particular thing is some-
thing you need to spend more time on.  If you become better at it, you’ll find
more joy in it. Challenge yourself.

Once you’ve settled the questions that help you define your personal philosophy, it’s time to review your current choices. We can’t really have it all. It’s much better to pour yourself into something 100% and do it well, than to do a million things halfway. Find your focus and then live it.

 

Quelle:
Metcon Magazin September 2016