Ego Is The Enemy
There have been many times in my life when my ego has let me down—or at least tried to.
And I don’t mean ego in the sense of "I'm better than I am."
I mean the type of ego that:
- Stops you from trying because you’re afraid of not looking good enough
- Makes you miss opportunities because you don’t want to risk failing publicly
When Ego Gets in the Way
You’ll often hear me tell our members:
"Your best is always good enough."
And I truly believe it.
But there have been many times in my own life when I didn’t believe it for myself.
A quick example:
Years ago, when I started
coaching CrossFit, I was at my
fittest. I was competing in
local comps—but when it came to the
CrossFit Open, I didn’t compete.
Why?
Because deep down, I worried that if my members saw me not placing high enough, they’d think
I wasn’t fit enough.
My ego got in the way.
The Dark Side of Competitiveness
I’m competitive—and sometimes, to my own detriment.
- I’m a gracious winner.
- But I’m a terrible loser.
In the past, if I knew I
couldn’t win or
wouldn’t win,
➡️ I wouldn't try as hard.
➡️ I wouldn’t fully commit.
Because then, if I didn’t succeed, I had an escape.
An
excuse.
A
way out.
But the truth is:
The only real failure is not trying at all.
Because even if you commit and things don’t go perfectly,
➡️ You’ll be
so much closer to your goal than if you’d never started.
Growing Up, Growing Through It
As I’ve gotten older, my mindset has shifted.
But that old mindset? ➡️ It doesn’t completely disappear.
It’s something I still actively work on—by doing the uncomfortable thing.
I chase adversity.
I
choose the tough option.
Because I believe
that’s where true growth lies:
- Doing the things you don’t want to do.
- Doing them regardless of the outcome.
- Doing them without a guarantee of winning.
The Biggest Realisation: Nobody Else Cares
Here’s the biggest thing I’ve learned:
Nobody else cares.
Not about your score.
Not about whether you win or lose.
Not about how you look trying.
The fear? The pressure? The expectations?
➡️ They’re all
in your own mind.
And once you realise that,
➡️ You’re free to go after whatever sets your soul on fire—with no excuses.
Final Thought
Your best effort is always good enough.
Not because it guarantees success, but because it guarantees growth.
And that's what truly matters.
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