should be "CrossFit Thermo Dynamics" at this point, nice pic!

I have a full-time active duty responsibility to the US Air Force. But for me, it's pretty simple...

WOD = positive attitude/mood for rest of day
WOD = seeing my closest friends
WOD = continuing my path to elite fitness
WOD = accountability
WOD = productive day

So...as you can see, the WOD plays a vital role in the productiveness of my day-to-day activities/work. I MUST make the WOD a priority; b/c after that, everything else is a breeze.

I'm a full time Police Officer and part time affiliate owner in Australia. I find that CrossFit is perfect for the busy lifestyle because its all high intensity which = Fast!

My Operations Team also traded out sit down morning coffee time at work for takeaway coffee in exchange for 45 minutes gym time at lunch.

And worst case scenario i can always find the time to do 100 burpees and i don't need anything to complete that WOD. (except maybe a spew bucket!)

Ricky hit it right - You have to love what you do. I make sure I keep the CrossFit priorities straight:
1- You must do CrossFit WOD's Full Time (5x a week) as hard as you can.
2- Get good at CrossFit WOD's (through accomplishing #1 over time)
3- Love CrossFit

If you practice what you preach the people just come. Its awesome and amazing.

I schedule my WOD's like an appointment to make it happen.

Great video Lisbeth. Nice to hear other affiliate owners talk about their business philosophy.

Ricky-
Loved the video. Right on!
I was just commenting yesterday about how a 17 hour workday can go by so fast. Am I tired- ya but I am so jazzed about what we are doing and I am so passionate about our athletes that it's easy to keep after it.
I'm going to be submitting our app. for Affiliation next week. Wish us luck!

Totally true - you have to have passion - not just for your own performance, but for helping your clients improve no matter what level they are at. One of the best ways to do that is by leading by example - how can you ask your clients to eat zone if you don't? how can you ask them to squat heavy if you're scared to yourself? That's what motivates me to train anyway, my own improved performance is secondary compared to how awesome I feel when I see my friends excel.

what exactly constitutes a 'firebreather'? Is there a definition or a level that you reach to become a firebreather? Who determines whether someone is or isn't a FB?

What are you guys using to determine your FB status? If it's the top of your box... each box is different, so that doesn't really help. You could be #1 and be super fit compared to the #1's at other boxes, or you could be nowhere near the same level...

thoughts?

I think the more relevant question for me would be "How do you find time to do everything else when all you want to do is CrossFit?"

I LOVE working out and I LOVE training and coaching oher people. Not one second of that stuff feels like work. I feel like I'm retired and I'm in the 'enjoying life, doing what I want' stage already.

Accounting on the other hand... that's a chore...

Jocelyn R -
Nailed it! I've had MBO for a month now and still can't use it because every day is CrossFit-filled!

Jer #8

I don't actually think I am a firebreather by any standards - but I generally use the term at our gym to represent someone who gives it their all, holds nothing back, and puts out above average performances. In my mind (just my opinion) a firebreather is determined by their mental attitude more than their physical performance (but that has to be good too). I was just answering the how do you juggle being an affiliate owner with your own fitness/ doing the WOD.

I am not a firebreather but train CF every day and eat Zone like one. I second that you have to schedule your workout like an appointment in your day, otherwise other things will find their way to take up your time.

For staying Zone, I pack 4 meals for my 9-5 each morning and take short breaks to eat throughout the day. Being busy is easy to deal with as long as you keep a routine. Being busy without a routine would be chaotic and disastrous after too long.

Sometime I take business trips lasting up to a week, and in addition to booking a hotel, flight, car, etc. I call the local gyms to the hotels and find the one I will be going to. Hotel gyms are worthless and I hate doing burpees in a hotel room. Visiting new gyms lets me meet new people, energizes me by being in a new environment, and generally lightens the day after 8 hours of death by powerpoint.

So that's my routine, I feel like I should be a firebreather given all that but I don't consider myself one.

I know that as a trainer and affiliate owner, if I don't do the WOD, I am essentially a fraud. I can't ask my members to do something that I didn't do.

Why is it a priority to me? Being fit is the best thing you can do for yourself. You could lose everything tomorrow: your house, money, car, clothes, but nobody can take your fitness. Your body is the only thing that is inherently yours. Treat it like gold and keep it running and it will treat you well back.

How do I make it a priority? I know that if I don't do the WOD, I will feel guilty the rest of the day because I slacked while I made everyone else do it. Peer pressure can be an awfully strong motivator ;)

Personally, I actually BREATHE FIRE. But then again, that's my job. (See website.)

In CF terms, anyone who embraces these concepts is probably a firebreather:
* AMRAP means "...As POSSIBLE" not "...as COMFORTABLE".
* Every time you rest in a "For Time" workout, you are wasting the workout. (And God kills a kitten.)
* The WOD is a time for sweat and pain. Done properly, it will hurt.
* Hero WODs are memorials and should be treated as such.
* The quality of your ROM/reps is a reflection on your character. Do not short yourself or cheapen the efforts of others by half@$$ing it.

I continually improve myself by remembering that I have the infinite power of choice. I am mindful of the ability to create my world with my choices in each moment - and of my desire to be an active and conscious participant in crafting a world that aligns with my vision of a better place.

In short, I think about Why I'm Here, and get busy doing that. That's a pretty strong motivator to get through invertees.