Earlier this year, I made a prediction that the world of CrossFit would soon be inundated with those seeking to gain a bit of the mindset pie. In the last two months, this has become a huge issue.
I've even seen a couple of 'coaches' stealing my content. The irony barely needs pointing out once you consider the mindset behind taking intellectual property.
I'm not too worried about this though, whilst you can steal words, you can't fake care and impact.
What I am worried about is the lack of substance to these people's work. From what I've seen, they emulate the charlatans I saw in the personal trainer world a few years back.
For the most part, they begin with a good intent, but end up relying on what they 'think' works or what worked personally for them.
They refuse to identify the individuality of the individual. They think because visualisation/meditation/goal setting/morning routines/belief changing worked for them, it must work for everyone.
Occasionally they get lucky and it works which only serves as confirmation bias.
They think that because they've heard about gratitude, everyone MUST practise it.
You wouldn't create a training program which is the same for a Games athlete and a Grandmother, so why would you think they need the same approach to mindset.
That's an obvious example, but here's where it becomes less obvious and more reliant on knowledge.
2 athletes with the roughly the same physical ability and goal. One lives in the past, thinking about what has been before. One lives in the future alongside anxiety.
Or one performs great under pressure and one doesn't.
Or one is an introvert and one is an extrovert.
Or one grew up in a stable environment and one didn't.
Yes, there are principles which we must follow, but for the most part, I see athletes being misguided by greedy coaches copying from those who have put in the effort to understand human behaviour before trying to change it.
I even saw someone selling 'functional mindset templates'...
SERIOUSLY?
That's what you're willing to do with someone's psychology...their HAPPINESS? To follow a cookie cutter approach?
That goes far beyond greediness and enters the world of negligence and harm.
Hell, I even saw CFHQ advising coaches to "be a bit of a psychologist" a few days back!
"a BIT of a psychologist"?!
Which bit? The bit that just wants to grab some cash at the expense of mental health?