We’ve all heard the expression “the grass is always greener on the other side”. Many times we like to admire our neighbors grass. Look how green it is! Look how there isn’t any spots, and it is so even! You might think how it isn’t fair, they don’t put any work into their yard. Or how is it ALWAYS so green. Or how is there’s so green when you live right next door, but yours is brown. But let’s consider a few things. First off, are you taking care of your own grass? Are you mending to it? Or are you just admiring someone else’s yard, without taking a look at your own? Maybe your neighbor is mowing before you get up, or fertilizing, or what have you. Maybe the hours of work you don’t think their putting in is actually done when you haven’t looked. Maybe their grass is fake. Have you spent so much time worrying about your neighbors grass, that you let your own die?

You get the point, hopefully.

So often do we sit and look at someone else’s accomplishments and say “yeah but it came easy to them” “yeah but they are already athletic” “yeah but they’re tall/young/older/male/female/blah blah”. But you don’t actually know what went into their accomplishments. And not only are you taking away from their accomplishments and hard work, but you are giving yourself excuses on why you aren’t where you want to be. You are giving yourself an out. You’re ignoring your own grass.

CrossFit is not easy. We all know that. Some movements might come a little easier than others, but no workout do we finish and say “that was easy”. CrossFit is multi-modal. Meaning we will always have a weakness, there is always something to work on. Always. It never ends. But are you working on that weakness or are you ignoring it? Are you making excuses while taking away from someone else?

We have all heard the sayings “If it doesn’t challenge you it doesn’t change you.” or “If you want something you’ve never had, then you’ve got to do something you’ve never done.” At the end of the day change takes work. If you want pull ups,  work on your pull ups. If you want to be stronger, work on your strength. If you want to be leaner, you have to change your diet. If you want to change in any way, you have to put in work. Nothing comes easy. Change is really hard!

Let us recognize that we all have strengths. The people that make things look effortless have put in some hard work. Hours of work, years of work. Let us continue to focus on our yard, and not lose sight of taking care of our own grass just because our neighbors looks great. Build that neighbor up, ask for help if you want it, but continue to till your own yard.