The problem is not the problem…

Last Tuesday evening was one of those memorable Red-letter days at the studio…It has become quite a tradition for us to host a few themed classes during our annual Summer Challenge, and the first one this time around was a Pirate Tabata workout…

…Now, I think many members were thinking, “Why, of all things, a Pirate class?!” The most recent “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie was released way back in 2017, and there are no rumours about a sixth one, as far as we all know.

I chose a Pirate themed class for many reasons…I’m a huge Johnny Depp fan, and his portrayal of Jack Sparrow, with his slurred speech, and quirky mannerisms, to me, has always been iconic.  I also recently watched the famous Depp vs Heard trial on Netflix, and I was simply drawn to Depp’s down-to-earth and humble manner. And that wicked smile, of course!

A stunning Pirate-themed playlist was another reason for choosing the Pirate theme.  What better way to kick off our class with the legendary theme song from “Pirates of the Caribbean”, composed so majestically by Hans Zimmer.  Everyone was dressed to kill, and for a little while we were pretending to sail on high seas, sip rum, and plunder ships!  It was indeed a spontaneous and energetic evening, and as always, our members rose to the occasion. (Thank you, Adele, for the photos!).

But, the biggest reason why I decided on a Pirate class, was because of the quote by Captain Jack Sparrow himself, from the 2006 movie “Dead Man’s Chest”: “The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem….”

This quote is classic Jack Sparrow, showcasing his quirky, philosophical, and humorous way of looking at situations. It’s a memorable moment that captures his unconventional wisdom and carefree attitude toward challenges. But, to me, especially at this point in our Summer Challenge, it’s so much more…

Let me explain: During the 9 weeks of our Fitness Challenge, our participants have the opportunity to earn Whopping Points. Every week there’s something different they have to comply to, in order to earn this Big Point – none of this is compulsory, but to me it’s really inspiring to witness how so many of them go all out to conquer these Whopping Points.  Most of the time these small challenges take our members way out of their comfort zones – there are things like being part of a Flashmob dance, recording a testimonial video about the studio, dressing up like a pirate, etc etc etc…

Experience has taught me that our Challenge members can always be clearly divided into three groups – firstly, there are those to whom the Whopping Points are insignificant; their focus is solely on reaching their desired number of sessions and chasing their personal goals. They pretend the Whopping Point category doesn’t even exist.  And I don’t have a problem with that – that’s the beauty of our Fitness Challenges; everybody can choose how hard they want to hit!

Then there are those who desperately want to earn the points, because it is fulfilling to receive a nice prize at the year-end-function for earning nine Whopping Points out of nine, but they make no secret of the fact that they regard it as “schlep” – they often complain, and sometimes do things a bit half-heartedly.  I am convinced they view the Whopping Points as Whopping PROBLEMS!

The third group are my heroes!  They are optimistic and eager and open to any Challenge or task I present…They welcome each week’s Whopping Point with enthusiasm. To them, the Whopping Points are…POTENTIAL, and their behaviour is the reason why I find Jack Sparrow’s famous words about problems so inspiring.

When it comes to life and the problems we face every day, I am convinced that all of us fall into one of the above categories too – Ignoring the problems and shying away from them, or, regarding them as mountains, or, embracing them…

In the same sense as facing the challenge of conquering the Whopping Points, life throws obstacles our way, whether in fitness, work, or personal life.  Many of us get caught up in thinking the challenge itself holds us back.  But here’s the truth: the problem is not the problem.  The real issue lies in how we respond to it.

As Steve Maraboli says: “Happiness is not the absence of problems, it is the ability to deal with them…”

When something feels overwhelming, it’s easy to focus on what’s wrong.  You didn’t hit your fitness goal? Missed the opportunity to work out?  Your schedule’s too tight?  While these feel like problems, they are just events!  The true challenge is how you react.  Do you allow setbacks to stop you, or do you use them as motivation to move forward?

We sometimes forget that the most successful people in life and in fitness aren’t problem-free.  They face their fair share of setbacks, but they choose to focus on solutions…Bethany Hamilton, a professional surfer, lost her arm in a shark attack at the age of 13.  Just one month after the attack, she was back on her surfboard, and she eventually won national surfing competitions.  Her story is a testament to resilience and focusing on what you can do rather than what you’ve lost.

Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx, faced numerous rejections when trying to pitch her idea for footless pantyhose. She was turned down by many manufacturers and investors. Instead of focusing on the rejections, she focused on finding creative ways to bring her product to life. Blakely persisted, eventually finding a manufacturer willing to take a chance on her idea. Today, Spanx is a global brand, and Blakely became the youngest self-made female billionaire.

You and I, we might not be able to control every situation, but we can control our attitude and action.  The late Norman Vincent Peale once said: “The number of problems you face shows the aliveness in your life.” 

Robert Fulghum wrote: “If you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire, then you got a problem.  Everything else is simply inconvenience…”

Maybe the only problem is that the word “problem” gets such a bad rap.  Maybe we should simply try terms like “challenge”, “opportunity” or “situation”.  These words carry a more positive connotation and, can definitely help shift our mindsets to see any situation as something manageable rather than daunting.

“Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines”, wrote Robert H Shuller. “Inside of every problem lies an opportunity”, said Robert Kiposaki.

Every member of our studio who has ever been part of a fitness challenge will agree – success doesn’t come from having an easy path – it comes from the effort, consistency, and the ability to push through discomfort.

Let’s decide not to be stopped by the obstacles in front of us, but to choose to keep going.  Let’s rethink the way to talk about our problems, and how we react when things are hard. And, let us not forget, giving up will always be the most painful way of solving a problem.

Yours in fitness

Mirna

PS: If you are a Challenge member, send this to Mirna before 20.00 today: “Whopping point week 5, here I come!  Problem? No way – pathway to progress!”