AAJ 109: How to get complaining the F*** out of your life and feel great

Listen to learn how to get complaining the F*** out of your life and feel great: iTunes – Stitcher Radio

In this episode you’ll learn how to get complaining the F*** out of your life and feel great, plus…

• What you need to change in yourself, first.
• The experiment that I did at my CrossFit gym.
• The tools that I used to make this happen.
• Resources for your quest.
• And much, much more.

This podcast topic came from a recent rule that was applied at my CrossFit gym (StoneWay CrossFit in Seattle).

For months, I had been secretly testing something during my advanced athlete training sessions.

I didn’t tell anyone what I was doing, and it didn’t seem to matter.

What I was testing… could I eliminate complaining from our advanced athletes class, and in-turn, make those classes a more fun, positive place to be.

I truly believe that positive people get more out of life. More happiness, more fulfillment, and even more CrossFit gains! Yep, more gains!

Here’s what I did…
You don’t always just wake up, and have everything go your way, and feel great, and have the sun shining. I mean, some days are like that. But, how can we set our moods, and have everyday be an 8-10 out of 10..?

I’ve done it by actually deciding what I’m going to focus on. It’s not easy, but when you control what you focus on, you can literally decide how you want to feel.

And, this is what I’ve done in my own life in order to feel good, pretty much everyday. Do I have down days… yes, but I view those days as challenges to sharpen my axe (as Misfit Athletics says). And, you know what… those down days come less and less. In fact, I can remember the last one I had. it was two Sundays ago.

So, knowing that I can shift the way that I’m feeling from sour to power, I wanted to see if I could create that same shift for those in my advanced athletes class.

Here are the tools that I used:

Excitement:
When you see someone for the first time that day, you act like you are excited to see them.

Now, you don’t have to throw on a corny smile (unless you feel like it), but you truly express an emotion towards people that they can feel that you are excited to see them. It’s AMAZING how this can shift someone’s mood.

The way I do this: When someone enters the gym, I always yell out their name, and acknowledge them with high energy.

Leading:
Next, I would lead people to talk about what was fun, happy, or interesting for them.

They could be having the worst day ever, but I would look at the workout they are about to do, and redirect their energy towards positivity.

For example: this person just got fired, but they came into the gym for support (and to actually feel better). So, they are in a bad mood, right.

Well, I look at the workout that they are about to do and suggest that it’s a back squat day, and they are going to be able to take that pissed energy, and direct it towards crushing the back squats today.

Or, we get to do a super fun workout that has 100 wall balls in it. I love wall balls!!

You are taking your excitement, and leading them in the same direction.

Redirection:
You figure out why someone is in a pissy mood, and you redirect their energy into something good.

They just got fired at work, and you redirect them into thinking about having a job that is even more fun than the job they just got fired from. In all truth, the job wasn’t really that fun. If it was, they wouldn’t have been fired.

Here’s what I found…

First, I need to note that you (as the leader) need to have control over your own mood before you can shift environments like this. So, get to work!

Enough about that, here’s what I found after spending… maybe 6 months doing this.

People started to completely associate the gym with a happy place. It was amazing!

Someone would walk into the gym in a pissy mood, and by the time they had their workout clothes on, they were a completely change person.

I saw this over and over, and still saw it last night in the gym.

The really cool thing is, others in the advanced class have started copying me, and now we have the powerhouse of a fun, positive environment.

The advanced class at StoneWay CrossFit is literally a “happy place” for those that train at that time.

The next step

Like I said earlier, we have deemed StoneWay Crossfit in Seattle a complaint free zone.

At our last coaches meeting I asked if people with give me their buy-in on trying this, and everyone agreed to help me, and those around us to keep the gym as a complaint free zone.

Have we been perfect (or even good at it). Maybe not. BUT, we are calling attention to people’s complaints, so they are aware of them.

I really believe that most peoples complaints come from a place that is linked to a feeling that doesn’t feel good inside them. Think about it the next time you complain.

When I complain, it’s a satisfying feeling, but I can tell it’s not a positive satisfaction.

Try this for yourself, but be ready for a battle. I had to work really hard at this for months, but now that I have the momentum, IT’S SOOOOOOOO AWESOME!!!!!!

It’s really amazing that I didn’t realize this earlier.

Resources and links mentioned in this podcast

I didn’t actually mention any resources, but one I should have mentioned is…
Tony Robbins – Time of your life – This is freaking fantastic stuff!

Partners mentioned in this podcast

– PerfectAmino from Body Health – Use code ALLAROUNDJOE for a discount.
– WHOOP.com – Use code ALLAROUNDJOE for $100 off your strap.

*above could be affiliate links. I get a small commission if you click through them and buy, but they in no way make the products cost anymore. If you decide to use them please let me know so I can thank you.

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