It’s time to PR Your Squat.

For those of you that are unfamiliar, a PR signifies a “personal record”, a personal best, etc.  In terms of lifting weights, it would mark the most weight you’ve ever lifted.  You have been preparing for this moment for 8 weeks straight, no breaks.  Your strength coach meticulously crafted an effective strength program that you that you have been adhering to religiously.  You’re not the strongest one in the bunch but you are tenaciously determined.

This is your moment to prove that you belong, to prove to yourself that these last 8 weeks of heavy weight training hasn’t been in vain.

This is your moment to prove to your coach that you can hang with the big boys and prove to yourself that you’re no fluke, that you can do this and do it well.

You step to the bar and everyone is cheering you on, yelling out encouraging words.  “Down, then up lets go!”, screams your training partner from behind you.  Another voice cries out “You can do this!”.  Yet another voice yells out “Lightweight baby, easy money!”.  As you stare at the weight, you begin to get angry, your blood pressure begins to rise and your breathing becomes intensely labored.

Suddenly, you’re transported to every single instance in your life where people failed to believe in you. You begin to vividly picture every single person who has ever said you weren’t good enough, who laughed at you behind your back, who BULLIED you; the mean people who ridiculed and made fun of you.

You begin to internalize the failed relationships, the fake friends, the hatred from others, ALL of your failures, all of your downfalls, all of the abuse you endured …you take this entire ball of negative energy and you absorb it.

Every.

Single.

Ounce.

Its almost as if a sort of jet fuel has been released into your body, directly  from your soul.  All of the weaknesses you’ve ever had, transforms into pure strength before your very eyes.  The fury engulfs you.

You step under the weight and un-rack it.  Immediately you feel the sheer heaviness of the loaded bar.  This is the HEAVIEST weight you have ever felt on your back in your LIFE… precisely as a PR should feel.  Doubt begins to creep in, anxiety trails right behind, pulling the hand of fear along with it.

However, the adrenaline begins to creep in as well.  Fight or flight, go hard or pack your crap up and go home, now or never.  The deadly cocktail of the adrenaline and the rage course through your veins. You are in a dark place now, however,  you are in a place of pure energy.  You set your squat stance, take a deep breath and descend.  Every vein in your body is now fighting to burst through your skin, every ounce of blood rushes to your pores, screaming to taste freedom.

As you descend you aren’t really sure if you will ever come back up again but you have stopped caring about that now.  The rage takes over.  The fury engulfs you.  ABSOLUTELY NOTHING matters to you anymore. NOTHING.  You will rise or you will die trying.  The sound that comes from your belly is a deep animalistic guttural growl.  You begin to rise, slowly at first, then faster, and faster and faster.  Suddenly you’re standing straight on your own two feet, worn out but victorious.  You just PR’d.

Part 2:  How do you use these short bursts of rage to improve your business or to improve your health or  to even improve your relationships.

Here is the thing you must understand: YOU CANNOT LIVE IN THIS PLACE.

To constantly live in a state of rage and fury is NOT healthy.  Learn how to harness this energy and use it in short spurts.  Use the 80/20 rule.  This is where 80% of the time, you focus on the good in your life.  Focus on your “Why”.  Think about the reason why you are doing what you are doing, draw in the positive aspects of your life.  Think about the things you’re grateful for and thank God for all of your blessings.

However, for the other 20%, get comfortable being very uncomfortable and unveil your GRIT.  In part 2, we will talk about how to turn your darkness into light.