When we first opened Vegvisir, things were a lot different than they are today!
First of all, the gym layout was 33% smaller as we only had the main classroom. The front desk was in between those two glass doors. If you came in for the morning classes, Katelyn would be there and if you came in from 10am and beyond you would see me. If you were in your On-Ramp PT sessions, Kathy would come in and coach a class while we ran you through your personal training sessions. And the website? Well it had just paragraph beyond paragraph of explanation of who we are as a gym and why you should come try us out.
One page on that website that we wish our developers would let us keep on it was a page that talked about the values of a Vegvisir athlete.
If you remember these, thank you for being with us for so long! If you’ve joined within the past year, you probably haven’t even seen this list (we even used to have it at the front desk in a small frame).
Well here they are:
Vegvisir Values
Respect: Everyone has had a different background, day, focus, and outlook before meeting you. Respect everyone’s beliefs, time, and personal space.
Full Effort: When you come into class, give your full effort for that day. Some days that might look like just moving and others have you feeling like Thor! What matters is that you give your best effort each day!
Be Humble: Be open to criticism. We are trying to help you become the healthiest athlete you can be. We correct your form out of compassion and the desire to get you feeling your best!
Patiently Improve: Success is like moving a pile of dirt from one end of the room to the other. Some days you’re gonna get a shovel and others a spoon. Some days the wind will blow some of that dirt back or someone might just pour more dirt on your starting pile. What matters is that you wake up with what you got and keep moving. If you keep doing that, the dirt will get moved and your new pile will grow higher than you ever imagined to be possible!
Kindness: If someone is down, help them up. If they are having a bad day, lend them your ear. If a pupper is wanting some love, give them the kindest response you can. But, only if they are good boys.
Be Prepared: Be ready when it’s your time for class. We want you to get the most out of each and every day.
Timeliness: Show up on time and ready for what you schedule! We understand that Houston traffic is terrible and bosses want to keep you as long as possible. We want you to get the most YOU-TIME as possible! Don’t sacrifice the time you set aside to improve your health. You are a priority!
Pride: We never wanna hear, “Yeah…but I did (sweat).” Have PRIDE in the effort you gave today. You worked just as hard as everyone else. Shout that “I just did FRAN!” Or “I just got my FIRST PULL-UP!” These accomplishments are just as important as anything an olympian could accomplish.
Honesty: Only write down what you have accomplished. Not what you wished you had accomplished. If you hit a weight but it wasn’t to depth, own up! You will for sure hit it next time and even more. Plus, it will make the PR that much more sweet when you do get it.
So, what do you think of that list? Chances are if you are a Vegvisir athlete, you looked at this list and went “Oh! I’ve seen that!” or “I think like that!” Why?
Because our values are the things we rely on to make decisions easier. For you coaches these values reflect how we approach teaching workouts, giving cues, and supporting you through your fitness journey. As an owner of a gym, it means “does our community need x or is y good for the gym?”
Values make decisions for everyone way easier and when we acknowledge our own values, we can acknowledge and remove stress in our lives in a much more streamlined manner.
What Are Your Values?
“This person really irritates me!”
“I don’t agree with that decision.”
“I can’t stand my boss!”
These things that are all said because something in that situation doesn’t align with your values, whether you are aware of them or not! We all have lines that we believe shouldn’t be crossed.
So, what are yours?
Try this drill:
If you were to die tomorrow, what are 3 ideals you would wish to stay in your household/family/friend group?
What are 3 things you can’t stand to see when you enter a business or gathering?
What are the polar opposites to those 3 things?
What are the 3 traits in a person that would embody those opposite things?
Lastly, make a sentence describing a person that represents those values.
(We use this drill to hire our coaches and came up with this sentence to guide our choices: “Vegivisir CrossFit is looking for driven people to lead our community with joy and compassion!”)
Chances are, that person is you or who you are aspiring to be! Now that you’re aware of them, you can look at the things that are stressing you out most and plan some actions to correct it.
None of us should be living with stress or anxiety every day and knowing your personal values can make a huge difference in how you approach problems. They can also help you stay directed at your goals for life inside and outside the gym when things get tough!
If you did the exercise and want to start working on your fitness goals with a gym that aligns with your values, click the “Free Intro” button above to schedule your meeting with a coach today!