In the event that I should die in some freak accident at work tomorrow, I've decided to bestow some survival tips onto my members and some of the younger generations out there. Now, I may have just turned 29, but I still consider myself having only been around long enough for a half cup of coffee. Nonetheless, I've seen quite a bit in this world- I'll leave it at that. So the following count down is for anyone, should they choose to take it...
1) The ability to read someone will take you miles in this world. I don't doubt that my talent to do so has come from years at the bar where you only have 20 seconds to judge whether or not someone is drunk, a bad tipper, a bitch, or of sound character. I'd be remiss too if I didn't mention the constant fear in the fire industry of someone getting violent at an emergency and attempting to rip your face off. The ability to focus on body language, lack of eye contact, tone, etc. can really save your ass. If you don't have it, wake up and pay attention to those around you.
2) Trust your instincts. I love anything that digresses a human being to his or her primal instincts- Tough Mudder, running up a mountain, a hefty CrossFit WOD... The unfortunate thing is that many people aren't even aware of what their natural tendencies are. If you aren't, become aware.
3) Never trust anyone who smiles too much or smiles to little. I've found that when someone is at one extreme of the scale of emotions, something is typically off base. Some of us may be referred to as "bipolar" sometimes, but I really think that this is just the healthy exercise of the entire emotional spectrum. Staying on one side of things all of the time is the psychological equivilant to being a radical in politics. Not healthy.
4) In today's world of MMA and the physical freaks that CrossFit, I think this next one is pretty simple... Never drive by somebody glaring at them. I don't care how big you are or how tough you think you are. There will always be someone bigger, tougher, and more psychologically unstable than you. Part of the mental confidence and discipline that we instill in CrossFit is that of knowing your capabilities and reserving them for when a challange is presented.
5) Don't be scared to break the rules. Isn't that what the CrossFit "box" is all about. We've detoured from the globogym to branch into a new lifestyle and set the new standard for fitness. So, have lunch for breakfast, do a WOD at midnight, and follow what works and makes you feel better in this world.
6) Never give a sh!t about anyone who doesn't give a sh!t about you. This one was told to me by a very intoxicated man one night, but very little has made more sense to me. If at any point anyone ever treats you like trash in this world without making an attempt to recant, gloves are off. Second chances are for suckers.
7) Anticipation is the key to life. No matter what realm of life you apply this to, it holds true. Stocking your bar for a busy night, training for a big fire, reviewing the key points of deadlift before you try to PR. Try to figure out what is going to happen next. Couple that with Rule #2 (instincts), and you'll be frequently on top of your game.
Alright, that's enough for one night... See you all in the box...
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