AVOIDING FAILURE…

I got a warrant of fitness for my car on Saturday.

NBD you say...

Well it expired in December and I've been 'meaning' to get it done since then.......

Sure I'm busy, but the AA place is on my drive home, and the process takes maybe 15mins tops.

To top it off, I got a ticket the other day for being unwarranted - $200!!

Why the heck has it taken me 4 months to do such a simple thing?

I was literally just as confused about it as you probably are.... so I tried to look a little deeper into what the heck is going on in my brain....

And here's what I came up with.

I'm afraid to be told my car is broken.

Those guys at the warrant place always make it seem like it's your fault.  They come into the office where everyone is waiting and announce that you've failed.

Maybe it's a bit of a mancard thing.  I have not maintained my beautiful V8 motor vehicle to the standards that are required of a Marmite fuelled, gumboot wearing kiwi male.  I love cars, but I certainly don't check the oil religiously, and measure the tyre pressure, and rub Autoarmor on the dashboard every Sunday....

So I've just been making excuses not to go.

I've been avoiding failure....... by not simply not risking it.

I see the same thing at the gym.

I have noticed for many years that NZ'ers in particular can be 'too cool for school' (thanks Derek Zoolander!), ie. when presented with a task that could cause them to fail publicly, they turn it down, sometimes with disinterest or disdain as a mask to hide the fear, doubt or nervousness.

They're afraid to appear, (or be told that they're) inadequate.

Or unfit.

Or overweight.

Or uncoordinated.

But it's often just a protective mechanism, to avoid being vulnerable in front of others.

Even if they give it a go, us coaches can detect a wall up.  A defence against new ideas, unusual movements,

Luckily, as someone who is just as scared as them about certain things, I can see right through it.....

It can be hard to convince people who have experienced nothing but the clever marketing, empty promises and cruel psychological pressures from the fitness industry, that they are finally at a place that has made their health, wellbeing and happiness a priority.

But we consider personal growth a priority too.

And that takes some failure.

It's safe to fail here.

PS: passed my warrant....piece of cake.  No idea what all the fuss was about.....