1984

1984 isn't the year I was born (it's actually 1983) but it does happen to be a book that I was forced to read back in High School.  What does this have to do with anything?  Well, 1984 had a list of quotes and one of them always seemed to stick with me.

Give up on which one it is?

If you guessed quote #2, you would be correct.  Freedom is slavery.  Bare with me for a bit so I can explain my point.

Pre Crossfit610 closing and my getting knocked up (no worries it was on purpose) I had a very regimented schedule.  It typically was like this:

Wake up, get to work by 8am.  Leave work at 5pm (or a little before).
Catch the 5pm, 6pm, or 7pm WOD.

If I has social plans after work, I'd either have to go to a 6am WOD or manage my rest days vs. WOD days accordingly. 

My job, my workouts, and my social life pretty much set my day up for me and there was not much wiggle room at all.  For pretty much over a year (more so when I started my running) I was making it to all of my WODs, achieving goals, and kicking butt with my running, because my schedule was so tight and I was compliant to it and let it lead to me to success.  To some that may sound like slavery, in a sense.  But to me, I was free.

What was I free from?

I was free from having to manage my own schedule.  I was at the mercy of my work scheduling and the WOD scheduling and my running requirements.  The plan was simple.  Do this that day or fail.  No brain work needed.   

I must have heard the phrase "If I didn't come today at 6am, I wouldn't be able to get in a work out at all" 100 times.  There was no choice.  You either went at 6am or you didn't.  End of story. 

Still not buying it?

When my husband got laid off back in April, after being sad and scared for him and us (losing your job is NOT a fun thing to go through esp just finding out you are having a baby in 9 months), I was actually jealous of him.  He had what most 9 to 5er's want, freedom.  Freedom to do what you want, when you want.  But lets take a closer look as to what really happened.

Dennis used to work about an hour away from our house, so getting home in time for the 5pm and the 6pm classes were near impossible, and sometimes there wasn't always a 7pm class so again, he had to figure out which classes he was able to attend to either before or after work.  Simple, he knew he had to make it work.  No real brain work there. 

He did this successfully for just over a year.  Until he lost his job.   

All of a sudden, he didn't have to wake up early, didn't really have much to do during the day besides job hunt and the nice little "honey to do list" I would give him.  So he had to make his own schedule, which to some is harder than be given one. 

With that, and the gym closing after a few months later.....I don't think Dennis has been to a WOD in weeks, dare I say even a month?  There are plenty of options for him, Ronin Fitness has a great following, multiple alternate Crossfit locations, but for some reason, having MORE free time on Dennis' hands, has actually decreased his gym attendance. 

I've always had more success with things when I either find or create a training program to be accountable to rather than just making things up as I go.  (And for those that know me, we all know that FINISHING those programs and being afraid of success are my major issues). 

Which way works best for you?