New Year’s resolutions are bullshit

I used to be a fan of New Year’s resolutions. I would caution people to not try to take on too many, but none the less I was a fan.

Now, not so much. I’m about to fall into the age old trap of assuming that just because something worked for me, it will work for you, but I’ve been looking for the catalyst for change for a while now, and I’ve finally found something that resonates with me on a very deep level. I’ve changed more in the past few weeks than I have in YEARS. 

I have a ton of motivational tattoos. My right arm depicts the scene of Alexander the Great standing steadfast as his armada of boats burn behind him. Meaning that his soldiers had two options, fight and win, or fight and die. Maybe you’ve heard the expression “burn the boats” before. That tattoo was supposed to inspire me to go all in with my pursuit of optimum health and fitness. I also have a tattoo depicting a hand reaching for the stars. The meaning of that should be obvious. And a tattoo of my dog wearing a top hat with a journal with the words “live a life worth remembering”, which was supposed to help me remember to keep a somewhat regular journal. 

I think the last time I wrote a journal entry was in 2015. I haven’t reached for the stars as hard as I could have. I haven’t “burned the boats”, I still have a beer and a burger every now and then. I don’t regret any of the tattoos though. They meant something to me and they’re beautiful. I’m still glad I have them.

The point is, I see those tattoos literally everyday, and they haven’t helped me make the changes in my life that I had hoped they would. Just because the date changes from 12/31 to 1/1, doesn’t really mean anything to us on a deeper level. It’s not going to resonate with you to the point that you affect change in your life. That’s why only 8-9% of people actually succeed with their New Year’s resolutions. 

The only way that you’re actually going to make changes in your life, is when your desire to become better surpasses your inertia. 

So how do you find that desire? I’ll tell you how I found mine.

I’ve read a ton of personal development, self help books over the years. All of them were good, but none of them lit a fire for me the way that David Goggin’s book “Can’t Hurt Me” did.

I also gained some really important takeaways from David Goggin’s interviews with Joe Rogan, as well as Jordan Peterson’s Joe Rogan interviews. I know Peterson can be a polemic figure and I don’t agree with much of what he says. However I feel like by listening to smart people we disagree with, we can make our own ideas sharper, and there is much Peterson talks about with regard to responsibility that I found invaluable.

Takeaway 1: “Own Your Shit”

Look yourself in the mirror and be brutally honest with yourself. I’ll do it right now. I have never given 100% to ANYTHING in my life. Not school, not my business, not my relationships. Nothing. I’ll go even further. I’ve half assed ALL of those. I did just enough to get by, and maybe 5% more. That may sound bleak but there’s tremendous power in admitting that to yourself. By admitting that, you’re also acknowledging that there is an opportunity for you to become better. By acknowledging the negative you’re also acknowledging the possibility of the positive.

Once you’ve admitted it to yourself, then you can admit it to others as well. Be prepared however that many well intentioned people will tell you that you’re awesome, and that you’re being too hard on yourself. Politely tell them thank you but that’s not what you need right now, you’re on a path and you have work to do.

Takeaway 2: Exercise is training for YOUR BRAIN.

I say “train the body, train the mind” all the time when I’m coaching CrossFit classes, but usually just as a joke when someone can’t remember how many reps are in the workout or what movements they were supposed to be doing. This was something huge that I got from Goggins, the most important results you get from training your body are mental, not physical. David calls it building callouses on the brain, or armored mind. You might not expect this coming from a CrossFit coach, but I think for this type of mental/physical training, you get the best results doing really repetitive, boring workouts, not super sexy, fast CrossFit workouts. That’s why we started doing what we call a “Mentality WOD” at our gym. 300 Tire flips, 1000 Step-ups, 2 mile Farmers Carry. No music. Even better if you do it alone. Even better if it’s cold, raining or both. Even better if you woke up at 4am to do it. The more you want to quit the better. You will be amazed at how fucking strong your mind can be.

Takeaway 3: Clean your house, NOW.

I had this epiphany that I shared with our Saturday class last week: “Strive to be the person without a drawer full of random shit in your house”. If you’re like me, you decide you’re going to organize a room, complete 95% of it, and then shove the last 5% into that drawer full of random crap. Similarly, don’t procrastinate on menial chores. When you’re done eating, clean up after yourself. Don’t wait 15 minutes, 2 hours, days etc. It might feel good in the moment to say I’ll do it later, but when you leave things unfinished, your unconscious knows it. Every time you walk by that drawer, or leave that dirty dish in the sink and see it out of the corner of your eye, it’s a little weight dragging you down. You’re also building bad habits, and shit self discipline.

Takeaway 4: Take responsibility.

None of this is going to be easy. It’s also never going to stop. Your house will always need cleaning. You will always need to own your shit, and you will always have to exercise. Life isn’t easy, but there is deep, deep meaning in being responsible for the people around us, the environment we live in and our bodies. Be the person that people know they can depend on. Be the person that leaves places better than you found them, even if it’s just picking up a piece of litter. Be the person that inspires others with your commitment to your physical and mental health. Find your fire, and be the person that you want to be.

A few years ago we came up with the hashtag #WeMakeBetterHumans for our gym. At the time it was more about lifestlye changes related to fitness, but now it means something different to me. It means you’ve had that honest conversation with yourself in the mirror, that you do what needs to be done, and you’re a rock for the people in your life.

When you tell people you’re making these changes, they’ll tell you you’re crazy. They’ll say you can’t do it. Maybe they’ll even say it nicely. Look them square in the face and say, “What if?”.

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Hannah Montovani

Coach

Hannah is a dedicated movement practitioner and teacher. She believes in helping others help themselves, so they can improve their everyday living, and do more of what makes them feel alive. Hannah is a yoga teacher and certified L1 CrossFit Trainer, and her energetic and informative classes motivate clients to continuously improve – her goal is to help clients learn one new thing in each class, whether it’s a new technique, a better understanding of their body, or a newfound confidence in their abilities.

When she’s not moving, Hannah loves studying nature, the human body and mind, health, nutrition and wellbeing. Hannah was born in Brazil and spent most of her adult life in Australia, and she brings a unique blend of skills and experience to her coaching.

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

Katelyn Warshaw

Coach

Katelyn brings over 8 years of CrossFit experience (starting with CrossFit REP in 2015) and a passion for helping people of all ages live their healthiest lives. As a Registered Dietitian and CrossFit L1 Trainer, Katelyn provides a holistic approach to wellness and helping clients achieve their goals.

While CrossFit has been the sport of choice for Katelyn for most of her adult life, she also enjoys running, indoor cycling, and has a background in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Coaching at CrossFit REP is an exciting new adventure and she is eager to share her knowledge with our members”

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

Maryam Ghani

Coach

Maryam was introduced to CrossFit in 2015 through a friend and quickly fell in love with the sport. She holds certifications in CrossFit Level 1 and Coaching Fundamentals, equipping her with the knowledge and skills to guide athletes of all levels. Maryam is passionate about helping others push past their limits and achieve their fitness goals.

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

Jennifer Rawls

Head Coach

Jennifer started doing CrossFit workouts in 2016 when her wife needed a partner for a competition. Ever since that first competition, she has been hooked on CrossFit. In 2018, her military unit decided to send her to Master Fitness Trainer school, and that is when she began to love coaching. In 2019, she became CF-Level 1 and began coaching the morning classes at CrossFit Republic, in Republic, Missouri. After one year of coaching around 8 classes a week, she went for her CF-Level 2 and set her sights for becoming a CrossFit Coach (CF-LV4) in the future. She also worked on and became a Certified Personal Trainer through National Council on Strength and Fitness as well as a Certified Nutrition Coach through National Academy of Sports Medicine. She also become a PoundFit Professional (think Zumba with drumsticks) and dabbled in the art of aerials (specifically silks and the lyra).

In 2020, Jennifer and her wife, Tess moved to Austin, TX just before heading out for a deployment to Iraq with her Army Reserves unit in 2021. Three months after returning from the deployment, Jennifer suffered a ruptured aneurysm with led to a subarachnoid hemorrhage. After about 8 months of recovery and trying to show the neurologist that she would, in fact, be an athlete again, she decided it was time to start coaching CrossFit again, the first time since moving to Austin. She joined CrossFit REP in August 2023 and has been coaching there ever since. She coaches the morning classes and is happy to sub in whenever possible.

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

Nick Wyss

Head Coach

With over a decade of CrossFit experience and 6+ years of coaching, I bring a wealth of knowledge and passion to our gym. As a CrossFit Level 2 trainer, I’m committed to helping you achieve your fitness goals safely and effectively.

When I’m not in the gym, you’ll probably find me hanging out with my wife and our three kiddos or at my local church, where I serve as the lead teaching pastor. Life is a gift and fitness is a way to enjoy it to its fullest!

Certifications

Level 3 Crossfit Instructor (CCFT), OPT (optimal performance training) program design and assessment, Crossfit anatomy course, FMS level 1 (functional movement screening).

Matt Markiewicz

COACH

Matt began his journey into fitness playing football and rugby in high school. He truly fell in love with health and wellness after losing 150lbs and becoming a lifelong learner in all things movement. He pursued this love by going on to get his Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland, College Park. Matt has experience in bodybuilding, powerlifting, athletic performance training, and yoga. He has also worked as a rehab technician in a Physical Therapy Clinic.Matt is excited to share his passion for living a healthy life and fitness with the CrossFit Rep community.

CERTIFICATIONS

B.S. Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park (2016)
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
ACE Certified Health Coach
Functional Range Conditioning Mobility Specialist (FRCms)
Functional Range Assessment (FRA)
200HR Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200)
CrossFit Level 1 Trainer

Ross Coskrey

Head Coach

Ross found CrossFit in 2017. After lifelong sports background, CrossFit was the perfect way to fill the competitive void that had been left in his life, and to feel like an athlete again!

Ross has been competing in CrossFit athlete the past few years but after an injury, he now finds himself enjoying just being active and building lifelong friendships through the fantastic community that CrossFit creates, epseically at REP!

Ross earned his Kinesiology degree from Texas State University and has been personal training and coaching for the last 7 years.

Jake Hill

Owner & Coach

Jake found CrossFit in Philadelphia in 2012, and immediately fell in love. He quickly began his internship at CrossFit Love, one of Philadelphia’s most esteemed gyms, and has been coaching for over 5 years now. He has a thirst for knowledge and truth that continues to drive the culture at REP.

Jake is Breakdancer of 15 years (also a Breakdance instructor), and has extensive gymnastics knowledge https://www.instagram.com/jakenastix/. Jake believes that helping people improve their fitness and quality of life is his life’s work, and is thrilled to be doing so back in his hometown of Austin TX.

CERTIFICATIONS

Box Programming General Manager
Box Programming Certified Coach
CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
USAW Sports Performance
USAW Advanced Sports Performance
OPEX Assessment, Program Design, Nutrition, Lifestyle Coaching
CPR/AED Certified
StrongFit seminar – Julien Pineau
Freestyle Connection – Carl Paoli
Diploma Culinary Arts – Art Institute
B.A. Communications – Temple University
Jake@CrossfitREP.com

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