Fleeting

The past couple of days I have been thinking about how the glory of youth is fleeting.  Not just youth, really, but everything.  All of it is ever-changing and in many ways temporary.  Children grow up, people grow old, pets and people die.  Jobs are temporary as most people switch jobs or careers multiple times in their lives.  I know that I will have at least three more jobs in my lifetime and that is just the guarantee.  I have to move (at least twice more), try my hand at brewing and eventually open my own gym or brewery.  Three (even though that lists four).  I have held at least 13 different jobs (not including stay-at-home Dad) and have never been fired or downsized.  I have been on countless boards and committees and have held all sorts of volunteer positions.  I started a Fantasy Sports group that has managed to stay exciting and lively for 8 years now.  Some people think that what they are doing today is what they will do forever.  Even those who stay with one thing for decades will likely have multiple jobs for that company and will see the responsibilities of that job change constantly.  If we are able to step back and look at the big picture, we realize that everything is changing even while we are looking at it.  Even Facebook friends "unfriend us" but we always find new ones. 

The important question that needs to be asked is "are we changing for the better?" 

In fitness terms I can take measure very quickly.  Every time I run I can tell if I am faster, slower or just in the same neighborhood (sometimes literally).  When I perform a lift I can tell quickly if I have improved since the last time I performed it or if I have gone backwards.  In my estimation, staying the same is the same as backsliding.  If you aren't improving, if you aren't getting better, then you are on the decline. 

What does that mean?  Once that decline begins, our youth is spent.  I want mine to last forever.  It won't.  Eventually we will all grow old.  Our bodies will be ravaged by time and habit.  If we aren't getting better then we are dying.  Pretty bleak.  Pretty simple.  But if that doesn't motivate you to do something, I don't know what will. 

I fear the day when my deadlift and backsquat weights are declining.  Once I know I can no longer set a PR because when I was in my 30s or 40s I was lifting more, I think it will signal to me that the decline has begun.  At the same time, it is possible to improve through our 40s and into our 50s.  There is so much technique, body mechanics and muscle memory involved that we can still get faster and stronger.  But we can't wait.  There will come a point when the body starts to decline. 

If we start working at it right now, we can achieve fitness.  By practicing with that fitness we can live a longer healthy life.  I don't want to be stuck in a chair.  I don't want to be unable to play with my grandchildren.  HEALTHY life.  I don't want to live to 100 but have the last 20 years be painful and inactive.  So I work.  Everyday is a new challenge.  What are you doing today to become a better person?  Fitter, faster, better parent, more patient, better employee?  Lasting change isn't accomplished overnight.  It takes time and effort.  Whatever it is that we want to achieve, we need time to achieve it.  The only way that I know I can maximize the number of tomorrows that I have is to do the right things today.  With more tomorrows I can attain all of my goals and dreams.  Without them I am already dying.  What will you do today?

WOD
3 Rounds for Time
Run 800 meters
20 Thrusters (75/45)
15 Burpees