That's pride #$%%^ with you! F#$ pride.

Pride often prevents us from doing things that we would normally reconsider. Thor's previous article about starting from the beginning is linked also one one's ability to put pride aside and be willing to start from the bottom up. How often do we stay in our comfort, or shy away from having someone new coach us with different techniques-whether it be how to lift better, run faster, or perform Olympic lifts because we are afraid it may make us look inadequate or like a novice.

The key to improving as an athlete during performance, or life in general, is to allow ourselves to be continually open to new information, even if that information rocks old and deeply entrenched dogma that we tend to cling so stubbornly to. Just because you've been doing something your whole life doesn't mean you've been doing it right the entire time. Ideas on techniques are always changing and improving-be open to it all and don't be afraid to change your scheme. Muscles, much like your mind, grow faster in change.

Don't be afraid to go from varsity to freshman every now and again because you may have missed something on the way up. Whether it be taking a non-paying internship to get to the next level, or going to specialty gym to deconstruct your preexisting techniques and relearn how to do something, taking pride out of the equation allows room for another factor-success.