Written by Coach Keo Siharath
Part 1 of 2
Let’s talk about why doing difficult tasks, whether it’s big or small, is important to our body, mentally and physically.
If we look at our life as a graph chart, the X-axis being the CHALLENGE, the Y-axis being the PERSERVERANCE, then the slope or arrow which is constantly moving on the graph will be the GROWTH. And, within the graph, there’s at least three different levels or zones. Throughout our life we are constantly going through challenges and trying to persevere or accomplish the task at hand. Those tasks can be immediate or much further in the future.
Are You Living in Zone 1?
We have choices everyday to do something that is challenging or not. If we decide to do nothing, to stay in a comfortable state or become complacent we are living in what we’ll call Zone 1. It is safe, and there is hardly anything difficult to overcome in Zone 1. Think about those who have never stepped foot into a gym, let alone a CrossFit gym, because they felt too intimidated by the thought of others, afraid of maybe pulling a muscle or being sore, or thinking they might get too bulky. They are usually safe at home, comfortable or worse, decide not to leave their couch and stay complacent to do little or no exercise at all.
Without Pressure, There’s No Growth
In the year 2025, within reason, we have many opportunities to be as comfortable as humanly possible. We can order food with just a few simple clicks on our mobile phones. Presto, it’s at our front door! We can order items and equipment to make certain tasks easier and things more convenient. We no longer need to be a carpenter, to design, or to build. We can easily order a chair, table, or anything else, and it will be delivered to you without breaking a sweat. Do you have a family garden with fruits and vegetables? We’re probably not hunting or gathering or even growing our own food like our ancestors once did. We can conveniently go to our local grocery store or drive-through restaurant and grab dinner for the entire family. How amazing is that?
As amazing as that sounds, where is the struggle? But why not get someone else to cook, clean, or change your car’s oil if that’s easier and saves time right? Well, if those tasks are being done by someone else, what are you doing with your time to challenge your mind and learn new things?
Without pressure or completing goals, can we ever really grow? We should be striving to get to the next level. Let’s take a look at what Zone 2 is all about. If you aspire to be physically or mentally challenged, then there will inevitably be struggles and tensions along the way. It is a personal choice if that particular struggle is achieved or not. These so-called challenges can be small or big. The most important thing is learning from our struggles and eventually trying to overcome those obstacles. We build confidence from achieving goals, whether they are big or small. Whichever the goals you decide, being short-term or long-term, some may look at those goals as unattainable to them. Why?
There’s tension in Zone 2. Tension is tough, but it is necessary. We should push ourselves even if it’s tough. Think about someone who goes to the gym and does a really hard workout. They are doing resistance training and working through some type of physical and mental tension. If you’ve been a CrossFitter for some time, you have probably heard of “Hero WODs.” One of the toughest is known as Murph. It consists of the following: a 1 mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats, & finish with another 1 mile run (doing all this with a weighted vest if desired).
There are other categories in Zone 2. We have the challenges of our faith, beliefs, and goals. Ever set out to write out a goal or do goal reviews at your gym by a coach? Why are these goal reviews so important? How are we to progress if we don’t know where we currently are? More importantly, we need to know how to get to where we want to be as well. Whether it’s a one rep max kind-of-day or a tough cardio, met-con type workout, do you record the results of your workouts? It’s important to know where you are so you can progress and find ways to continuously improve.
Goals do not need to be overly excessive or unattainable. We can set out for a 5K race in a certain month and then see where we are so we can progress on from there. You might end up doing a half marathon by next year! We can start with a 500 piece puzzle and maybe eventually move to a 2,000+ piece puzzle. As long as we are constantly challenging ourselves then we know we are in Zone 2 of the graph.
What about Zone 3?
Is there another zone in the graph chart for growth? Yes! There could be more, but there is at least a Zone 3 that we should be discussing. How do we know when we are at Zone 3? Did you successfully complete a hard task? Did you learn from doing anything in the last few months or this past year? If you were able to do something such as 30 sit-ups everyday for 30 days and was challenged, then yes! If it was too easy, then no! Maybe step it up to 60 sit-ups for 60 days or 100 sit-ups for 100 days, etc.
You are on another level! Whatever your choice of task is, make it clear. Set out to do it, and do hard things! Once those hard challenges are completed, we feel fulfilled and possibly can see our full potential. Growth takes time. But it’s not easy living in the digital age where things are fast, and we get information quickly and easily. It’s not the same when it comes to grit and growth. It’s tough, there’s tension, there’s learning, challenges and trying to overcome or persevere through tough obstacles.
So… what zone are you living in right now? Are you choosing challenge or staying comfortable?
Whatever the next hard thing is for you, take one small step toward it today.
💬 Want support setting a physical goal, building healthy habits, or finding a challenge that fits you? Set up a free intro because we would love to help.
And stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll explore how doing hard things impacts your brain and builds real mental toughness.