This may come as a surprise, but I really don’t like working out. I like a lot of things about working out: the feelings of accomplishment, the physical adaptations that allow me to be a more capable human, the lessons learned through the challenges, the community aspect of working out with peers, even the science behind how physical adaptations occur and the mechanics of movement. But even with all that, I still don’t really care for the whole working out thing itself.
And you know what? That’s okay.

You don’t have to like everything you do. In fact, I can guarantee that you won’t like everything that you have to do. Imagine walking into your dentist and telling her that you just don’t really like brushing your teeth, or telling your mechanic that you’re just not a big fan of getting your oil changed, and therefore you’re just going to avoid it.

You’re going to encounter some things in the gym that you just don’t like. Maybe it’s burpees, maybe it’s barbells, maybe it’s rowing anything more than 1000m. And you know what? That’s okay.
I’m not going to say you have to do any of these things -- you could certainly go your whole life without doing another burpee and you’d be just fine. But what if you never did another thing that you didn’t like? Would that set you on a path to becoming a better human? Or the opposite?

If you don’t like it, ask yourself: why? Is it because it’s something you’re bad at? That sounds like an opportunity to improve your weaknesses. Something that’s mentally challenging for you? That’s an invitation to get better. You just don’t really enjoy it for no evident reason? Doing the hard thing is an opportunity for growth all unto itself.

It’s not really an issue whether you do or don’t like burpees or whatever else. The real crux is the valuable results that come from doing the hard thing.

- PS

6/9/17

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  5x50m sprint

  
  

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  2k row