Perhaps you’re well aware of this, or perhaps the thought has never crossed your mind, but you are responsible for setting the proverbial bar. Feel like that’s a lot of weight to hold on your shoulders? That’s good -- it is.

A funny thing happens in group settings, be it fitness-based, a social function, an emotionally charged gathering, work, or any other number of situations: someone sets the bar. Or rather, everyone sets the bar.

Everyone contributes their share to the level at which the bar will be held. If everyone holds back, afraid to make a move, to venture into the unknown or put their ego on the line and see what’s possible, the bar remains low. Everyone coasts by, never really endeavoring out of their comfort zone.
If, on the other hand, one person decides to reach for the unknown and face potential failure, to test and move beyond what they’re sure can be done, the bar is immediately elevated. This can be witnessed in a group project in school, on an expedition up the peak of Everest, in the boardroom of a large corporation, or in one of your own CrossFit classes. All it takes is one person saying “I’m going to go for it” to change what everyone else believes they are capable of.

Here’s the thing… we could all sit back on our heels and wait for someone else to raise the bar, unwilling or afraid to step into the risky position of being a “limits tester.” We could all do that and be content, but we’d only be doing ourselves and those around us an immense disservice. Leadership is something that, I believe, we are all involved in. Like it or not, you do lead, you do set the bar. But it’s those who own that responsibility and make something of it who really stand out, who really make change. I don’t know about you, but I’d be pretty thrilled to live in a world of people eager to see what they’re capable of, and eager to raise the bar for themselves and those around them. If that were the world we were a part of, don’t you think we’d all be a little better?

- PS

4/20/17

• 
  

  Weighted chin-up - 4,4,4,4

  
  

• 
  

  15 min AMRAP

  
  




• 
  

  250m row

  
  


• 
  

  4 ring muscle-ups