WHAT?

I told my nephew this morning as we progressed through our floor, core and bench routine, that the question almost always is WHAT. Not why.

I asked about the baseball conditioning program when he, somewhat sheepishly, replied that he was thinking about not playing this year because of the time demands. Yes, he is a good student, but when he tried to play the too much time card, I had to react immediately, and effectively.

So I said, in as sincere a tone as I could muster while hoisting a 30lb dumbbell overhead, that asking why, why is this so hard, why are my parents fighting, why are we working out in the cold garage when I could be sleeping, is missing the mark. We, he, us, should be asking what instead.

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT IT. WHAT IS MY RESPONSE. WHAT REWARD WILL COME AS A RESULT???

An hour later I use the same technique with my spin class. Why are we/you doing this? Why do some people look at this as painful drudgery while others spin with a positive attitude and a song in their hearts? Why are we born to face only suffering and eventual death?* 

What will your response be? What will you do in the face of danger, challenge, opposition, violence?

So it goes.

* Thanks to Kurt Vonnegut for that one.