Why Do Athletes Quit?

I have seen my share of quitting.

Going through BUD/S twice and spending 10 1/2 months there I saw hundreds of guys quit.

It is not fun to see. Once proud men hanging their head and shoulders low and their dreams vanishing. Poof.

Visions of becoming a Champion but to only be denied.

Fast forward to present day as a coach at Kokoro or at our local CrossFit Grinder I see the same.

The triumphs and personal breakthroughs definitely make up for the down.

Find out what a Navy SEAL says about how he didn’t QUIT training and finished

Here are a few reasons that we see athletes quit and a few solutions of how you can avoid these pitfalls and keep moving the chains forward.

SELF BELIEF

This is probably the biggest. If you don’t believe in your self and see yourself winning then your sinking in quicksand. When I was a young boy living in north Florida – I saw myself graduating BUD/S. I could feel the cool breeze on my face and sun on my right shoulder. I defied all odds and made it despite asthma and no athletic background. I believed in myself.

LACK OF PREPARATION

Whether your going out for the local mud run or heading to Kokoro or going for BUD/S. You have to prepare your self at some level. Get off the couch and walk down the street and find athletes better than yourself. Find athletes that have been there and will share tips that will help push you forward. Winners hang around with winners. Losers hang around with …. well.. you get it.

Check out the 30 Day email series to prepare you for Kokoro Camp
Tip #3 – Have a Big Why
This was probably my biggest saviour going through BUD/S. My why was out of control monstrous big. It was tattooed to the inside of my skull. I tormented myself day and night to push myself to not quit. I awoke in the night with in a cold sweat – my Why was way too Big.

What is YOUR why? Today I see athletes quit in Kokoro and it boils down to they did not have a big enough why. You have to bury your excuses and set aside your distractions and decide first what will be your goal and what is your “WHY”. Write down your why and put it in your wallet and on the mirror where you wake up every morning and your whole life will begin to change.

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Don’t listen to the negative thoughts that both your mind produces (monkey mind) and those of the wrong people around you.  People laughed in my face when I said I wanted to do Navy SEAL training.  Here I was a 150 lb nobody with no athletic background or skills.  I had never been a part of a team.  Never a leader. I never listened to them – it only made me want to succeed more.  The same goes for your mind. When put in a chaotic situation – your mind goes into preservation mode in that it wants to save your body.  You have to control your mind through deep breathing, affirmations, remembering your why and moving one foot in front of the other.

Get Free Training for Kokoro with SGPT – Check out these tips here

Tip #5 – The Road Looks too Long
The pain is unbearable and your mind flashes to the idea that your only half way through. How can you possible withstand the onslaught? Here is where you have to take a few breathes and mentally rally. Break everything down into bite size chunks. The next footstep forward. Getting through the next obstacle or around the bend. Catch the athlete in front of you. Make it to the next meal. Sometimes when you think your at the bottom – you may only be a few minutes away from seeing a ray of sunlight or a downhill coasting run. Get rid of the negative of looking at the long road and break it up into smaller sections.

navy seal pull ups beachDo you want to build a body like a Navy SEAL?

Lean and mean and ready for anything at anytime?

Are you tired in the afternoon and don’t have the energy to workout?

Want to find out how to reverse that and have energy to burn?

Are you looking to build confidence to reach your goals?

Do you want to be lean and mean and ready to go the long haul?

Check out the solution with the
Navy SEAL Mind + Body Workout program – HERE for more info

Questions from our SGPT athletes.

Question: Coach; I want to train for a GORUCK light that is coming up in the spring.  I am not in shape so how do I get started?

Answer: Good question. I would start by walking in your neighborhood and then slowly add a 10 lb weight vest. Check out this SGPT article: GORUCK Training Tips

Are you interested in training for the SEALFIT 20X event?

Do you have a big event on the horizon and you want to finish the drill?

Get individual coaching from SGPT Coach Brad McLeod (SEALFIT certified coach). Check out coaching here:

About the Author:
bradBrad McLeod knows first hand about mental toughness after being kicked out of a top tier Spec Ops training unit. He failed out of BUD/S the first time after failing a math test (made it through Hell Week and Dive Pool Comp). He came back a year later and graduated and served as an operator on the Navy SEAL Teams with a total of 6 years of military service.

Today, he helps Veterans and athletes achieve their goals. What is your goal? Lets work together to accomplish it.

Check out SEALgrinderPT Coaching to help you step up and take hold of your dreams and realize your goals. Contact brad@sealgrinderpt.com

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