Ego in the gym.

This isn't one of those death to ego talks.

Our ego has an incredibly valuable reason it exists.

The ego keeps you going.

The ego accomplishes tasks, it gets you places, it gets work done, it aids in relationships, careers, and our self-confidence.

Of course, the ego can also create issues.

Imagine the ego on a pendulum, our goal keeping it swinging in the middle often.

Swing too far to the right, find yourself an ego maniac.

Too far to the left, let's hope you can become a monk in the mountains.

If you live in our current societal constructs, you need the ego AND it can get in your way.

Moving on from this idea, let's talk about ego in the gym.

One of the biggest things I see as a coach working with humans is when we let our ego lead in our decision making in a negative way.

This often leads to injury, unhealthy motivations, and an environment that doesn't breed success for everyone involved

And I will be the first to tell you, I have been down this road MANY a times.

This often looks like...

• Avoiding good technique (technique that would be bad for your body)

• Negative self-talk due to not being great at the movement immediately (perfectionism)

• Challenges if you aren't doing what everyone else is doing (scaling movements)

• Emotions about being behind others in the workout (a need to win and being upset if you don't)

• Pushing something you haven't built the ability to push in yet (going too fast or too heavy too soon with a movement you haven't built the capacity to express these things in first)

These are a few of the big ones.

Often a new person can come into a gym and see someone else doing more weight than they are.

Often, they will see someone else doing a movement they can't do... yet.

Often people see the fancy looking movement and want to jump immediately into trying those things.

This is all ego.

This is neither good nor bad, it depends on the frame in which you view it.

Learn to crawl, become great at it, then...

Learn to walk, become great at it, then...

Learn to run, become great at it, then...

Learn to sprint, become great at it

Then keep training how to crawl when you're an expert sprinter.

Keep training how to walk when you're an expert runner.

Keep mastering (by revisiting and perfecting) the basics.

The concept above is a way we can approach anything we do in life.

We don't jump to lifting 300lbs on the deadlift even if on day one we have the ability to, we haven't earned it yet.

Our joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles... our body structure... hasn't built up the ability or the expertise to express this. Much less to do it often. (This often yields injury)

We don't jump to trying handstand push-ups until we have spent adequate time developing our pressing strength and are great at being upside down.

This isn't to stop anyone from doing anything great, it is to encourage you to earn your way to greatness

Earn walking by being great at crawling first and standing up and balancing

Earn running by being great at walking...

Etc, etc, etc.

Let me tie this all together now.

My challenge to you is this... if you find yourself getting down because you have to modify something in the workout that someone else isn't modifying, or if you can't do what they are doing yet, or if you are behind them...attempt a reframe.

If you can't do what you once did currently, and it negatively impacts you... attempt a reframe.

An important thing we do in a gym and in life (you can take these ideas outside of the gym, simply insert something else important to you) is meeting ourselves where we are at.

In full acceptance.

It means nothing if we have to get good at walking while everyone else is running.

It means nothing if we need to scale a workout today, or if someone else is ahead of us.

Yes, our ego may be challenged, and that is great!

Let it push you to develop

AND...

Take the necessary steps and earn your way through the development.

A good coach and a community that supports these efforts is vital.

Good awareness of self and trust/willingness to go fourth into this reframe is also vital.

I have learned this lesson over and over again.

Let's keep learning it together.

See ya out there,

Coach D.