Embrace the Suck in Your Journey
Article Summary
As the Fitness and Wellness Director at Southwest Research and Technology Center, I speak once a month on fitness, having a growth mindset, habits, and more. This post is a speech I gave around the campus and online.
We talk about embracing the suck that will happen on your transformation journey. Like Jose Altuve or a professional athlete who gets loser amnesia. You got this!
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Baseball is like church, many attend but few understand.
-Leo Durocher
This article is a speech that I am presenting as the Fitness and Wellness Director at Southwest Research and Technology Center. As of this presentation, the Astros are in the World Series. I just had to add this to the speech because it is called for right now.
I have already given this speech a few times around campus, and while speaking about Altuve I saw many an eye roll. Why? Because Altuve is in a horrible slump. We lost game 1 of the World Series. Altuve was up to bat 5 times in the game and only got 1 hit.
I saw many complaints about Altuve and even our coach. This game was incredible though. The Phillies showed grit and gumption. And it was one of the best baseball games I have ever seen. And I’ve watched A LOT of baseball games in my life. And my team lost.
Let’s reframe that quote baseball is like life. You don’t win all the time, you don’t always hit it out of the park. Slumps happen and sometimes those slumps happen at the very worst time. Even to the very best!! Relate to that and then you’ll understand baseball. Relate to that and you’ll embrace the suck. Now let’s get to my original speech….
What do your fitness goals, transformation, and Jose Altuve have in common? Think about that while we chat today.
Fitness is all about transformation. Plain and simple, right? That is what I believe and what I teach. Fitness is not about weight loss, although it can be. Fitness is not about exercising at the gym, although it can be. Fitness is about transformation. What that transformation looks like for you may be different from what it means to the person sitting next to you. That is why I call it a transformation.
Kathie is the Fitness and Wellness Director at OCuSOFT
Hello, if we have not met yet my name is Kathie Owen and I am your fitness and wellness director here at OCuSOFT. We have a gym called the O-Zone, it’s Building C on campus, and I run that gym. However, I am not just a Fitness and Wellness Director here. I am also Certified as a Fitness Trainer and Life Coach for 20+ years. I teach healthy habits, having a growth mindset, and fitness both here on campus and in my business online.
Transformation
Today we are talking about your fitness transformation. Think about a transformation you have had in your life. Technically we are always transforming but how does that happen?
Every success story is a tale of constant adaptation, revision, and change. Adaptation, revision, and change are not easy and you will meet obstacles. And those obstacles can and will suck. Suck will happen. If we don't want to undergo any struggle, we won't be able to fly! Struggles make us shine! Struggles are opportunities in disguise.
Jose Altuve Struggles
Jose Altuve had struggles. I would love to study under Altuve’s sports psychologist. It amazed me to watch Altuve this season. He would be booed at opponent stadiums incessantly. And while being interviewed by announcers he was always asked about the cheating scandal. While the announcer wanted him to cringe, Jose did not! He would always answer with calmness and integrity. “They really love their team. That’s a great thing.” he’d say.
Being booed made Jose Altuve better.
Jose Altuve got what I call losing amnesia. Or suck amnesia.
Suck amnesia comes when you forget your losses. Losses happen on the way to success. Remember it is a tale of constant adaptation, revision, and change.
OCuSOFT Embraced the suck
OCuSOFT embraced their own “suck amnesia”. That’s what it takes to succeed right? Back in 2019 there was a huge recall of products. This was not our fault but it was a huge suck. Maybe you worked here during that time.
I was officed in Customer Service. I had my own “suck amnesia” going on at the time too. The gym had flooded 3 times. But while officed in customer service I heard the customers calling in, maybe you did too. It was horrible.
I asked Cynthia what the company lost at the time. I had heard it was a lot of money but I also heard that we had insurance for this type of thing. She told me the loss was over $14 million dollars. On top of that she told me that the insurance company told her, “That’s the cost of doing business.” Talk about a suck moment!
The journey
Set a goal. Think of a transformation you’d like to make. Remember change, adaptation, and revision will happen along the way. How are you going to embrace that?
So what do those components look like in fitness?
Change:
Does your diet need to change?
Does your schedule need to change?
How can your habits change?
What about changes in those you surround yourself
Adaptation:
What kind of environment do you need to adapt to?
Adapting to waking up early? Working out after work or before work or on your lunch hour?
What tools do you need?
How can we adapt our lifestyle to our goals?
Revise:
How can you revise your attitude toward the suck?
Revise your mindset on time.
Revise your mindset on the booing.
Revise your habits. Stack those habits. Replace bad habits.
Embrace the suck. Enjoy the journey. Spoiler alert that the journey and the destination are one. How will you embrace the suck? Which could be being booed. It could be a loss of money, time, or a change in the dream.
As a Certified Fitness Trainer and Life Coach for 20+ years I can help.
Watch the video here!
Listen to the episode here!
O-Zone Fitness Center
By the way, the O-Zone is undergoing a transformation. And it’s going to be great. But I can tell you that it is transforming. It will be a great place for all types of training and transformation.
I will be stopping by each department monthly.
In closing, how will you embrace the suck that comes with transformation? I can’t wait to see what you do with this!