Eyes on the Prize: Part II

So they don't get CrossFit.

Your friends or family members or your spouse/partner/significant other just doesn't give a rat's behind about CrossFit. No matter if you're reserved about it or over-the-top obvious, they just won't even try it or talk about it. Once you leave your CrossFit affiliate after a workout, you're done. You can't talk the talk or wear the t-shirt and you definitely can't commiserate over who is more sore.

Is this the end of the world?

No.

Think about kids and new foods.

If you're introducing a new vegetable or fruit or meat to a child, some experts will advise that you serve it a minimum of five times before you give up on the child trying it. Why? Because change is hard for people and it can be kind of scary. And chances are that your would-be convert is just as excited to try CrossFit as you were to eat Brussels Sprouts at the age of 6 . . . which is to say, not very excited.

And here's the trouble: Up until now, probably all activity within a gym seemed like Brussels Sprouts to your significant other. Because that's all most of us knew before Crossfit. We went to regular gyms and did separate strength and cardio days. We spent HOURS there — and for little results. We didn't know about wall-ball or kettlebells or snatches or clean-and-jerks, and we sure didn't know we could combine them into workouts and get stronger and skinnier and sexier in a shorter amount of time. And we didn't know that a fabulous community of friends was waiting for us and wanting to do the same things too. But now we do know — and it can be frustrating when others don't seem to listen or understand the importance of our newly-found knowledge.

But you know what?

CrossFit isn't for everyone.

It can certainly be done by everyone, but that's not the same thing as being for everyone.

Some folks just don't have the temperament or drive to succeed at (or enjoy) CrossFit. So if the point comes that you have to decide if it's really worth waging a CrossFit war with your loved one, step back a minute and consider your loved one. Are they worth it? If they are, then cool it with the handstand push-ups at home and learn to (again) love the one you're with. There are more important things in life than CrossFit.

Then again, if they're not worth it, give 'em the old heave-ho.

The actress Alfre Woodward once said (about something completely different): Don't take offense. You just say, "You know what? I better go where people are speaking my language."

Life is short. Make sure you're living the life you want. Find the people who are speaking your language and do handstand push-ups with them.