Lessons from CrossFit
and how they apply to other things in life
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I’ve been doing CrossFit for over four years now, and this past week I found myself reflecting on how it has positively impacted my life. This reflection also led me to think about how we can take lessons from any area of our lives and apply them to other aspects.
As I began to write down some of the changes I’ve noticed in myself—not only as a person but also as a friend and partner—I realized just how far-reaching the benefits of this journey have been.
Persistence
When I first started CrossFit, I couldn’t do a single double-under. It was one of my biggest weaknesses. It took me over two years of consistent effort to finally get the hang of it. Every workout that included double-unders had to be scaled, but I never stopped attempting them. Almost every time, the rope would whip against my calves when I failed, leaving red scars that lasted for days. But I didn’t let that discourage me.
Gradually, I started seeing improvements. Today, I can sometimes string together 50 unbroken double-unders. While I’m still working on achieving consistent predictability, the progress I’ve made reminds me of the power of persistence.
The lesson: There are many things we don’t know how to do—or don’t yet have—but persistence over the years can lead to significant improvement, even if mastery feels elusive. There are no shortcuts, but the journey is worth it.
Discover the root cause
While working on my double-unders, I spent the first year and a half using ropes provided at the gym. At the time, I didn’t realize that not all ropes were the same. Even though I tried to pick one that suited my height, sometimes I ended up with a heavier rope and other times a lighter one. I didn’t think it would make much of a difference to my progress.
One day, I asked one of my coaches for advice, and she suggested that I buy my own rope. Voila! That was the game-changer. Once I addressed the root issue, everything clicked, and I began making significant progress. And now, here I am.
The lesson: The first step to solving a problem is identifying its root cause. Once you understand what’s truly holding you back, finding the solution becomes much easier.
Get up and move
Thomas Wayne to Bruce: Why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up
Anyone who has done deadlifts knows how injury-prone this movement can be. I remember one time I injured my back while lifting just half of my max weight at the time. During a warm-up set, I felt my back pop—a moment that taught me a hard lesson.
Over time, I’ve come to understand that injuries are a part of the journey. Instead of giving up, I focused on recovery, started back at square one (lifting much lighter than before), and worked diligently on improving my form. With patience and persistence, I not only recovered but eventually broke my personal record with far better technique.
The lesson: Every time you fall, get back up. There’s no shame in starting over—what matters is that you keep going.
Trust the process
One of the scariest movements for me in CrossFit has always been the squat snatch. When I first attempted it, I was terrified of falling backward with the bar overhead. Only recently—after more than four years of practice—have I started feeling comfortable with the movement.
It took guidance from several coaches and countless hours of practice to learn how to get under the bar properly. But even more than the physical training, overcoming the mental block was the biggest challenge. Training my brain to trust my form and the process took just as much effort as mastering the movement itself.
The lesson: Trust the process. Training your mind is just as important as training your body.
Respect and Cheer others
One of the most amazing things about CrossFit is being surrounded by people with diverse experiences and abilities. In any given workout, someone will lift heavier weights or finish the WOD faster than others. But what stands out is the culture of encouragement—people are always cheering for each other. Everyone respects where others are in their journey and genuinely appreciates the effort they put in.
If I finish my WOD before others, I make it a point to stay on the gym floor until everyone is done, cheering them on as their biggest supporter. This simple act helps create a positive and healthy gym culture, where everyone feels supported and motivated.
The lesson: Everyone is on their own journey in life. Respect where they are, and don’t hesitate to cheer them on, no matter what stage they’re at. Supporting others not only uplifts them but also enriches your own life experience.
Stop comparing to others
This ties closely to the previous point: your only true competition is yourself. Each day, you wake up striving to lift more than yesterday, to be a better version of yourself. In CrossFit, there’s always healthy competition with others, but the primary focus is on self-improvement. The goal is to become a fitter, stronger version of you.
That doesn’t mean you can’t draw inspiration from others—far from it. Being inspired by someone else’s achievements can be motivating, but only if it fuels your own growth. Over-focusing on how much better others are, however, is a recipe for frustration and failure.
The lesson: Focus on becoming a better version of yourself rather than trying to become someone else. Stop fixating on what others are achieving. Instead, aim to make yourself 1% better than you were yesterday.
Take a break
A valuable rule of thumb I’ve learned from CrossFit is that sometimes you need to take a break. You can’t always be at your best, nor can you maintain peak productivity every single day. There are times when I don’t feel like lifting heavier or pushing myself to 100%. And that’s perfectly okay.
I’ve learned to listen to my body. On days when it doesn’t feel right, I treat it as a lighter day—I’ll lift less, scale the workout, or do whatever it takes to avoid overdoing it. Sometimes, I even take a break for a few weeks to rest and recharge. This time off allows me to come back stronger, both physically and mentally.
The lesson: You don’t have to be productive every day. When it doesn’t feel right, take a break, recharge, and trust that you’ll return stronger and more prepared to tackle your goals.
Everyone has something in their life that they can strive to do better. The key is to look within and help yourself grow. One of the most effective ways to elevate your life experiences is by transferring the lessons and skills you’ve gained from one area to another. You don’t have to apply everything exactly as it is, but you can draw inspiration from your experiences and use it to enhance your overall well-being.
If you have similar experiences that have helped improve your lifestyle, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments. Your story might inspire or help someone else reading it.