Adversity

There are many saying that pertain to adversity. It builds character. It makes a man out of you. I say it defines us.

If our decisions create adversity we either get bored with the everyday happenings or we just plain make bad decisions. One must make mistakes to learn. That’s the way of the world. Making bad decisions time and time again means we must think about our goals more clearly.

Goals are best set as a team. The coach and athlete set goals together. The goals must be challenging yet attainable. Athletes left to set their own goals will more often than not go conservative. It is human nature. A demanding coach who sets goals for the athlete, alone, will damage the lifter. It is not a matter of if but when. When adversity rears its ugly head the goals give us something to pull us through the tough times. Long term goals are to be broken down into short-term goals. When we do not reach a short-term goal training must be changed. Always keeping the long-term goals in sight.

Adversity is part of life. Sometimes we just need to learn something the hard way for it to sink in. We must not glorify adversity. It can build character. It can make us stronger. Some German crack-pot once wrote “if it does not kill us it makes us stronger” (he probably wrote in German). This guy did not speak to another human for the last eighteen years of his life. The first eight because he did not want to. The last ten because he was incapable. Let’s not follow him. He invented modern psycho-therapy; great. Most of the modern therapists do the opposite of what he stated one should do in practice.

Athletes and coaches should set goals together. Stay focused on the long-term goals and reach each short-term goal. If the training falls off track adjust and get on track again. Goals pull each one of us through tough spots and allow great gains to be made. If we glorify adversity it can become the focus. This is not productive.


Get stronger!