Certainty Isn’t a Thing, Give It Up

As long as we’re all living in the world as it stands, the one thing that will be certain is uncertainty. That seems pretty hippy dippy, but think about it. There isn’t enough data, theory, science, or technology on Earth to give us true certainty about future outcomes.

Bear with me.

I’d like to argue that your time in the gym is a magnificent place to practice the realities of uncertainty elsewhere in your life. Give up some damn control. I’d encourage you realize, especially if you’re control freak, that A) you’re not really in control of half as much as you think you are and B) that’s not the point anyway.

I usually see this manifested in misguided weight choices and scaling around the gym. Folks that struggle with uncertainty make scaling decisions such that they are constantly mitigating the unknown. If one cannot foresee 100% success, they’ll adjust to lighter weights to ensure comfort often trading the ideal training stimulus for an experiences that eases their prediction of the future.

Cut it out.

You can’t predict the future. Furthermore, many training sessions are meant to feel a certain way. We’re looking to spark a certain stimulus. Rarely does that stimulus include 100% certainty.

 

Logan Gelbrich

@functionalcoach