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I have seen this attitude in Crossfit before, but something about this particular post pissed me off.  This blogger was upset because he came in second place in an event and didn't want to compete again in an upcoming event because he might lose again.  WHAT?!?

Thankfully, my first Crossfit Coaches were some of the best this community has to offer and they reminded me of something life had already taught me.  If you can't take a beating and pull it together enough to stand up to take another, you need to stop.  Stop Crossfitting.  Stop doing anything! 

At the age of 10, I had never taken a martial arts class.  I was a soccer player and a runner. About once a week I would have a no holds barred/no rules randori with a 13 year old boy who had been practicing Kung Fu for 3 years, and was a foot taller than me.

So you ask, why do it.

I wasn't given a choice.  Never.  Not once.

Did I have any hope of winning?  Hell no!

But every time he attacked me, I held on to the belief that this time it would be different, this time I might win.  I never did.

For those of you who are too chicken shit to step into the ring when you think you might lose, try doing it week after week when you have no hope of winning.  Don't go around whining about how horrible it is that you came in second.  Get over yourself.  Pick your ass up off the ground and get better. 

The difference between a recreational sports enthusiast and an athlete isn't how well they stack up on the podium.  The difference is attitude.  No matter how many times I lose, I will step into the ring one more time.  In the end, that is all I can do.  That is all any athlete can do!


The Quitter

By: Robert Service


When you’re lost in the Wild, and you’re scared as a child,
And Death looks you bang in the eye,
And you’re sore as a boil, it’s according to Hoyle
To cock your revolver and . . . die.
But the Code of a Man says: “Fight all you can,”
And self-dissolution is barred.
In hunger and woe, oh, it’s easy to blow . . .
It’s the hell-served-for-breakfast that’s hard.

“You’re sick of the game!” Well, now, that’s a shame.
You’re young and you’re brave and you’re bright.
“You’ve had a raw deal!” I know-but don’t squeal,
Buck up, do your damnedest, and fight.
It’s the plugging away that will win you the day,
So don’t be a piker, old pard!
Just draw on your grit; it’s so easy to quit:
It’s the keeping-your-chin-up that’s hard.

It’s easy to cry that you’re beaten-and die;
It’s easy to crawfish and crawl;
But to fight and to fight when hope’s out of sight-
Why, that’s the best game of them all!
And though you come out of each grueling bout,
All broken and beaten and scarred,
Just have one more try-it’s dead easy to die,
It’s the keeping-on-living that’s hard
{Thanks Don for this}