July 26, 2026
Control What You Can
That moment when the barbell feels impossibly heavy, or the clock is ticking down, and you know you can't control the weight on the bar or the speed of time.
Control What You Can
Some things are in our control and others are not. Things in our control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever are our own actions. Things not in our control are body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word, whatever are not our own actions.
— Epictetus, Enchiridion 1
That moment when the barbell feels impossibly heavy, or the clock is ticking down, and you know you can't control the weight on the bar or the speed of time. It's frustrating, right? But the Stoics remind us: your opinion of that weight, your effort, your decision to push or scale—these are entirely yours.
You can't control the WOD, the judges, or how others perform. But you absolutely control your attitude, your focus, and your commitment to the movement. Stop wasting energy on what's outside your sphere; instead, pour it into the only thing that truly belongs to you: your response.
Today's challenge: Today, identify one thing you're tempted to complain about or blame, and instead, redirect that energy into a focused, deliberate action you can control.
Workout of the Day
WOD coming soon — check the whiteboard at the gym this morning, or grab the day's class plan from your coach.