Relentless IQ → #7 [2026] →Compete to Grow
Relentless IQ is your weekly dose of mental + physical performance.
Insight
There’s real value in competition.
I’ve been competing athletically my whole life - college ice hockey, CrossFit competitions, running, biking, triathlons, professional tackle football, boxing. I could keep going, but you get the point.
Each experience taught me something different. But one of the biggest takeaways has always been who you become when you put yourself in a position where you have to show up and execute.
Competition teaches you a lot.
You learn how to deal with fear and move through it.
You learn how important preparation and process really are.
You learn how you respond when things don’t go your way.
You learn how to push yourself and bring the best out of the people around you.
Hopefully you learn how to win - and how to do it with humility.
And along the way, you learn more about who you are and where you still have room to grow.
What I’ve seen too often, though, is people not even trying.
They’re afraid of failing.
Afraid of looking stupid.
Afraid of what other people might think.
So they never put themselves in those competitive or challenging situations.
But what if you focused less on what could go wrong - and more on what could go right?
The experience you’ll have.
The lessons you’ll learn.
The people you’ll meet.
The confidence that comes from doing something hard and coming out the other side knowing you can handle it.
It doesn’t have to be boxing, football, an Ironman, or even a sport at all.
Maybe it’s signing up for a local 5k you’ve been nervous about.
Maybe it’s stepping into a more competitive role at work.
Maybe it’s choosing the harder path in some other area of your life.
Competition isn’t about proving you’re better than someone else.
It’s about putting yourself in situations that demand more from you.
Compete to grow.
Question
What challenge would force you to show up and level up?
Quote
“Really it comes down to your philosophy. Do you want to play it safe and be good or do you want to take a chance and be great?” - Jimmy Johnson
Workout
AMRAP 40
15 Cal Machine of your choice
20 Burpee Box Jump Overs (24/20)
15 Cal Machine of your choice
2 Rounds of:
10 DB Deadlifts (55/35)
8 DB Hang Cleans
6 DB Front Squats
4 DB Shoulder to Overhead
Coaches Notes:
Row, ski, bike, or run- choose any cardio that will take you around :90-2:00.
You can do the same machine for both, or do two different machines.
Choose a DB load that’s challenging but doable. It might get grippy… but don’t make it so heavy that you’re standing around staring at the dumbbells.
Flow of the workout: 15 cals → 20 BBJO → 15 cals → 2 rounds DB work. Repeat for 40 minutes.
You’ll have moments in this workout where it would be easy to back off, slow down too much, or choose comfort. That’s the point. Competition doesn’t always show up as someone next to you - sometimes it’s just you deciding whether to push or play it safe.
Keep your transitions tight. Stay honest on the machines. Move with intent on the dumbbells.
You don’t need to win the workout. You need to stay engaged, stay focused, and keep showing up rep after rep. That’s how you get better..
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