How will you finish?
AMRAP.
This is an acronym that stands for “as many reps as possible.”
I am one of the Crossfit coaches in our school community and once a week I have the chance to lead a morning workout with our group. I love it. I love preparing for it, I love leading the sessions, I love cheering everyone on as they struggle, and I love yelling out:
“every rep counts.”
Which brings us back to the acronym above. AMRAP.
These are timed workouts - 2 minutes, 7 minutes, 15 minutes. It could be any time. And during the allotted amount of time everyone is trying to complete as many reps as possible of a specific movement.
Obviously, the muscle fatigue hits fast and you start to fade until you hit what feels like a wall. Finally, when you get to that last 30-60 seconds, the coach yells, “every rep counts.” Because, yes, every extra rep completed matters. They all get added to the final total.
That battle cry is a loud and very direct way of saying, finish strong—don’t give up when you’re so close.
It gets me every time. I love hearing it and I love yelling it. And earlier this week it got me thinking about the value of finishing strong.
So let’s talk about that...
How will you finish?
Yes, it’s great to finish a workout strong—to grab every last rep possible. But this question can help you outside the gym too.
What about today?
How will you finish today?
I thought about this all week. Our school is heading into fall break. I know many of the teachers and school leaders reading this will know exactly how those pre-break weeks feel. Sometimes, it feels like a marathon and you’re just trying to get across the finish line. I had a few days like that this week. And that’s where this question helped.
In the moments where I wanted to just detour and let my mind escape and coast, I asked this question—how will you finish today? How will you finish this first quarter?
That question always got just. a. little. more. out of me.
As of the day I’m writing this, there are 75 days remaining in 2024.
We’re in the final 20% of the year.
How will you finish?
You might have struggled all year long. Maybe the first 80% of the year has been plagued by all kinds of terrible things. It happens. But you have a choice to make right now. You can let go, give in, and coast to January 1.
Or, you can revisit those goals you set at the start of 2024 and decide you’re going to finish strong—because that’s who you are—a STRONG finisher.
"Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending."
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
You know the other reason I like this question so much?
I like it because there’s an assumption baked into the question itself.
The assumption is that you are a finisher. You will finish. You’re definitely that type of person. Now it’s simply a case of deciding how you want to cross the line.
Every rep counts.
You got this.
I’m cheering you on.
Keep Asking,
Kyle