Don’t Strive for Average

By: Derek Wellock

I read Ben Bergeron’s book “Chasing Excellence” a couple weeks ago. This is a book I recommend for everyone to read. I have already bought 20 copies for my team to read at the gym.  The premise of the book is to not settle for anything other than your best. This goes for anything you do. Truly chase excellence and give everything you do your best effort. This got me thinking about a lot of things in my life. Being a Christian, being a husband, being a father, and my work. You need to figure out what really matters in your life and focus on being the best at it. Truly giving it everything you have and constantly chasing excellence.

In the gym, you are going to see our Core Values: Faith, Integrity, Humility, Perseverance and Excellence. These are not just meant for the owners and coaches but most important our community as a whole. When you step into Double Edge, these need to be the core values that drive and guide you. Having Faith in yourself, faith in the process; that if you show up to the gym, put in the work, the results are inevitable. Having Integrity is very important when you call yourself a part of Double Edge. Doing the proper exercise, for the proper amount of reps, and being honest with yourself is the first step to being a leader in your own life. If you lead others, then integrity is a block you need to stand on in everything you do. Humility is a corner stone if you want people to follow you. No matter how good you get, know that you started at the bottom and know there are always others who are better than you. Staying humble is key to building a strong community. Perseverance, is a trait you must have to get anywhere in life. If you are in the habit of quitting when the work gets a little hard, you will never reach excellence in anything you do. Getting knocked down is vital to growth and maturity. So, when you show up at the gym, remember not every workout is going to be a personal best, know that working around an injury is inevitable, but not quitting on your goals or yourself is the reason having perseverance is an extremely important value for us to live by. The value that wraps all this up is Excellence. There is no reason not to try and give everything you do your best effort. Leave the gym everyday knowing you gave your best effort.

Putting in your best work at the gym transfers over into everything else in your life. Keep these five core values at the front and center. Success will be your only option if you do. Failure only then becomes a stepping stone for success, not an endpoint.