Stopping After 18 Minutes

18 Nov Stopping After 18 Minutes

There is a funny quote on Instagram that goes through every CrossFitter’s head during the course of a 20-minute, “as-many-reps-as-possible” workout. It goes:

• 0:25 – 1st round under 30 seconds, I’m going to kill this workout
• 1:15 – started too fast, can’t breathe
• 5:00 – where is the chalk bucket?
• 10:00 – half way? Screw my life..
• 15:00 – that damn clock is broken..
• 18:00 – coach is watching, keep moving, don’t die.
• 20:00 – oh thank goodness
• 25:00 (5 minutes post-workout): that wasn’t too bad, I could’ve gotten another round

Every person I’ve showed that to who has experienced a 20-minute workout like this immediately laughs. They know the feeling. They remember wanting to absolutely die during the workout. They remember staring in disbelief that it’s only been 10-minutes of the 20 minute workout. And they all remember the thoughts in their head of quitting.

The thoughts that at minute 16:00 say, “you can stop now, just slow down.” Or perhaps the ones at minute 18:00 encouraging you to pack it in early. Seriously, you just poured yourself out for 18 minutes and you’d honestly consider quitting with 120 seconds left?

That’s like picking up the football at your own 1-yard-line, juking the entire defense twice, and then laying down at the opponents two-yard-line, just short of a touchdown because you got “tired.” Of course you wouldn’t do that. You’d dive into the endzone having received your goal.

Same applies to life.

You’ve poured blood, sweat, & tears into the pursuit of your goal. You sure as heck don’t want to lay down at the goal-line, do you?

Maybe it’s the final 15 pounds you want to lose before January 1.

Perhaps it’s the business you’ve worked your ass off to build for over four years, only to continually fail to gain major momentum.

Or maybe it’s battle in your head for positive thoughts. Every day you seem like you have more of a fight than the one before.

All of us are battling something. All of us are competing for something. And competitors don’t lay down short of the end-zone. They don’t quit with two minutes left after having given their all for 18 minutes prior.

You didn’t come this far to only come this far. I believe you can keep going. I know you have just a little more in your story.

Don’t come this far to stop short. Keep writing your life’s story.

What is one obstacle you are facing that you refuse to let stop you where you currently stand?