Cherry-picker.
Lekkerbek.
[That's Dutch for cherry picker. Sort of.]
Picking the easiest and best. The tastiest. Avoiding the difficult things that make you uncomfortable.
For years I've been putting myself through some pretty hard things at CrossFit Belleville in the name of fitness.
I've figured out what I'm good at. More than once I've 'cherry-picked' workouts that I know I can do well within the allotted time.
And I avoid the hard stuff. The things that no matter how long I practice, it feels like I'm just never getting any better at.
Overhead squats.
Handstand pushups.
Burpees.
You're probably wondering what's left??
Plenty.
One workout I've avoided since 2014 is Murph.
This is a grueling hero WOD that involves a lot of repetitions of some of my least favorite movements. It's named for Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue NY who was killed in action in Afghanistan June 28, 2005.
A guy who did NOT avoid the hard things.
Who'd never be called a cherry-picker.
In business, in life, AND in fitness I'm learning that our brains are wired to protect us from doing the hard things.
The things that cause stress.
The things that if we just push through, will open up so many more doors.
So I did Murph. And I didn't die.
This afternoon I might try accounting.