“Only gratitude will allow you to appreciate the grind of your athletic journey.”—Andy Lausier
I saw this meme: “Exercise? I thought you said ‘Extra fries’.”
We tend to perceive exercise (and often the many elements of life) as something unpleasant. Of course, it shouldn’t be totally “pleasant”. It is, after all, work. The key is to “appreciate the grind”.
The day the idea for this post presented itself, Andy Lausier (The Grateful Athlete1) shared the concept of graded fun (and idea he got from Steve Rinella). High grade fun is “challenging, hard, and even brutal in the moment, but when it’s over you realize it was one the greatest experiences of your life.” Low grade fun, on the other hand has no lasting impact. Coach Lausier tells his athletes that “high grade fun should sound like the following statement, ‘This is one of the hardest things I have ever done….and I love every second of it.’” When I get these “Celestine Prophesy moments” (as I call them), I pay attention.
I exercise. I see exercise as a high grade fun (though not always a 10 like I should). I tell my students that exercise is like the man who is hitting himself in the head with a 2×4. When asked “Why?”, he responds, “Because it feels so good when I stop.” The point is that exercise is not fun, but for the remaining hours of the day, it makes us feel better.
I find exercise a great analogy for life. As such, like exercise, life should be an expression of high grade fun. We tend to go through life looking for “extra fries” rather than those things which are hard but satisfying. It is a great life when we can seize every opportunity in every struggle with gratitude and enthusiasm. This is what I mean when I tell myself to “carpe momento”.
Low grade fun provides only momentary satisfaction. Why ask for “extra fries” when you know that the after the first few the gratification will be gone?
High grade fun may suck in the moment, be in the end any pain subsides and the gratification and memories last a lifetime—and often urge us on to the next greater challenge.
Don’t be (dis)satisfied with extra fries. Challenge yourself and embrace the grind—the opportunity to grow and experience profound gratification. Push the limits and enjoy the sense of accomplishment.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!
1https://www.facebook.com/thegratefulathlete/?__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARDPqCn8houmo_m_DllLsO1N_HOH0c0tnVFAeIJvi_lVAgB1hJacpMdHsaLEOyn2uLUqaHRqj0UCoPze