Why is it important to set and own goals for ourselves? There are many reasons and ways that setting goals is very beneficial to us. There is actually a certain science around the effect that setting goals can have. The point is not merely fantasizing about achieving our goals because this can trick our minds into believing that we have already achieved them, but taking and make them concrete.
This is called the “endowment effect.” Cornell University conducted an experiment which proves that when “we take ownership of something-an item, an idea or a goal, we are more committed to it,” as reported by Huffington Post.
In CrossFit, our goals translate into our own personal records or PRs. It’s not about being better than the next person; rather, it’s about beating our past personal records in order to become the best version of ourselves.
Your PRs should be about more than the scale. It’s easy to get discouraged when the scale doesn’t say what you want, but remember that muscle weighs more than fat. If you’re gaining, it often means you’re becoming more fit and capable.
Celebrate your PRs! Even if you are only adding .5 pounds to your bar, ring the bell. Did you add 15 squats to your routine? Ring the bell. Let your friends in the CrossFit community know that you just broke one of your PRs so they can celebrate with you and offer their support. That’s what it’s all about.