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Perception
By Keith | November 12, 2009
Some people say that perception is reality. Others say perception is never reality. And still others say that the real truth lies somewhere in the middle. We hear these things all of the time and they make me wonder? Do people really see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear? Perception can be an incredible ally or a huge detriment.
Perception routinely alters what we see. When people view something with a preconceived notion, they tend to take those ideas and see them whether or not they are there. This problem stems from the fact that we are unable to understand new things without the inherent bias of their previous experiences. A person’s view creates his or her reality. We can only think about things we have been exposed to. When objects are viewed without understanding, the mind will try to reach for something that it already recognizes. It gets compared and processed. The thing that most closely relates to the unfamiliar from our past experiences, makes up what we see when we look at things that we don’t comprehend.
What does all this mean? When we try something new like CrossFit for the first time most of us we have no idea what it looks like. It is unfamiliar. So we put our own perception on it based on what we have witnessed in our fitness experiences. This can go either way based on where you are. If it is a positive one and we are open minded and willing to trust its methods, we can succeed. If we are not open to it and draw unhealthy close-minded conclusions we are set up for failure. Examples are plentiful in cross fitting: Loud music, big weights, pull-ups and rope climbs. It is easy pickings to make snap judgments here!
Once an initial perception is made it goes infinitely to the universe. The Halo effect is what follows. The Halo effect has to do with judging or evaluating something by a single experience. This overall impression can be good or bad but will effect our further involvement. Each of us can remember making a snap judgment about CrossFit based on a first impression. Some of them were good and some were not so good. Then we tried to perceive it further based on this first impression, regardless of whether it was positive or negative. If this impression was incorrect, as it often is, it often takes considerable pressure to concede and break the halo effect.
Crossfit is designed to enhance a positive perception of one’s self. It makes you work past certain challenges and makes you go where you have never been. This mentality makes you have self worth. Perception and the halo effect are most damaging when it shows up on our self-appraisals where our overall good or bad opinion of ourselves interferes with our ability to perform at our highest level!
The key to the success of CrossFit [and life in general] is to be careful with your perception. Is it what you want it to be: especially of yourself? You have what it takes. You just have to see it!
Topics: Articles | 1 Comment »
November 12th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Well said, Keith!