3 Things I Learned From Ben Bergeron’s Book ‘Chasing Excellence’.

Chasing Excellence is Ben Bergeron’s guidebook into the minds of the best Crossfit athletes. He uncovers mindset changes and methodologies that can most definitely be translated into your own life. Like the blurb says: “His powerful philosophy can help anyone excel at all aspects of life.”

The book follows the story of the 2016 Crossfit Games from Bergeron’s point of view. Each chapter uses context from various parts of the Games to corroborate and show as an example of the lessons Ben teaches throughout the book.

The use of storytelling combined with methodology and contextual aspects makes the book enjoyable and easy to read. All whilst offering real life insights and strategic mindset deployment.

So I’ve decided to collate 3 things I have learnt and taken away from the book.

1- PLAYING ON YOUR STRENGTHS DOESN’T NECESSARILY MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL AS A PERSON.

Ben talks about the fact some people only do things they’re good at because it makes them feel and look good. Doing this may make you look ‘successful’ but doesn’t necessarily make you it.

“The problem with limiting yourself to training, practicing, and living within your comfort zone is that it prevents you from growing and reaching your full potential.”

A successful person lives outside their comfort zone ,practices and does things that they may not be great at. Thus the outcome means they are able to further their abilities and challenge their boundaries.

After all. If you don’t push yourself,how are you ever going to excel?

2- YOUR RESPONSE CONTROLS EVERY OUTCOME IN YOUR LIFE.

Chapter 5 discusses the idea of confidence. However Bergeron has a different approach to and definition of confidence. He states “people think confidence is the belief that you have the ability to win, or at least to compete with the best. But that’s not what confidence is, or where it comes from. Confidence has nothing to do with outcome. It can’t. Because I don’t care how good you are, but in most sports you aren’t going to “win” most of the time.”

Ben uses the E + R = O (Event + Response = Outcome) equation to demonstrate this. He says that the way he respond to any event determines the outcome and it makes sense.

For an instance, a normal person would respond to a setback badly thus giving them a negative outcome from an event. A ‘successful’ person would embrace the adversity of the set back and consider it a challenge , therefore creating a positive outcome.

This same principle has been displayed by many philosophers and within stoicism.

“People are not disturbed by events, but rather by their judgments about events.”

A set back doesn’t make you sad,your belief about the setback makes you sad

And so when Ben uses the equation, E + R = O (Event + Response = Outcome). He is saying that most focus on the outcome, but successful individuals focus on their response. You can’t control the outcome but you can control “your competitive drive, your focus, positivity, perseverance, and grit, and whether you can maintain those characteristics when it matters most.”

3- YOU CAN’T CONTROL EVERYTHING.

Ben uses an instance at the Crossfit Games to illustrate his point of ‘Control.’

He talks about Mat Fraser’s response to a flurry of no-reps on his Ring Handstand Push Ups in the ‘Separator’ event. Despite anyone else being flustered and frustrated by this, Mat continues to perform the Push Ups without hesitation until his repetition is finally counted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7X7dYorO3k < You can see it here at 2:49:00

Bergeron believes the key to succeeding is by learning to ignore the things you can’t control, and that “the next step is to identify the things you can control and should be focusing on.”

Funnily enough,Mat has a tattoo that encapsulates everything Ben talks about in this lesson. It’s called ‘The Serenity prayer’ and says

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

In conclusion, I have learnt ALOT more from the book and cannot praise enough how valuable the content Ben puts out is. HOWEVER, it is only valuable if you put in the work! Advice is good but taking action is great.

Check out the book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chasing-Excellence-Building-Fittest-Athletes/dp/1619617285/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519677323&sr=8-1&keywords=chasing+excellence

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