Failing 20 times on your last 3 double unders. 

Your knees don't listen to you and refuse to stay out on your last heavy squat reps.

That workout with the stupid _______ in it. Who cares if you can do ______ well anyways, whoever thought up that particular exercise was clearly a sadist.

Ever had only a few things standing between you and your goal? Everything else would be perfect, if only these things would work the way you wanted them to. 

These things are your goats.

Goats are stubborn, ill tempered, and often frustrate you to the point where you're just ready to give up on them, only after sending a few choice expletives their way of course.

There is a far greater reward from conquering your goat, than there is from giving up on it or avoiding it.

Like most lessons learned inside the gym, these principles can be applied to situations outside of the gym.

5 Steps to Taming The Shrew Goat

1. Don't put your goat on a pedestal

Don't put the G on a P, man! This isn't something that is beyond you. While, it might take more work for you than it did for someone else, this is achievable. This probably doesn't seem fair, but let's be honest, life hardly is. You simply need to accept that and get on with the taming. Once the goat is on equal footing with you, you'll have a much easier time taming it.

2. Learn everything you can about you and your goat

Understanding your goat will help you attack it from a better angle. Let's face it you're dealing with something that you probably don't understand as well as you could (otherwise it wouldn't be your goat) so educate yourself. 

Ask your coach or a person you train with on a regular basis that has it a little more figured out than you. Spend some time researching online. If you're a visual learner try video taping yourself attempting the movement and compare it to videos with proper technique to see what you're doing wrong.

3. Eat your goat one bite at a time.

Don't expect to have it all figured out in time for dinner. This may take some effort, make sure you keep that in mind from the start.  Make sure you have planned progressions with which to attack your goat. Having your focus set on achieving small goals along the way will keep you motivated even if the final goal takes you a little longer than you'd like. Because, let's face it, it will always take longer than you'd like.

4. When you want to quit remember: It's a Trap!

The time you want to give up the most, is when it's most important to press forward. It's scarcity that makes taming your goat worth something. How many people do you know that can bang out 10 strict muscle-ups cold? 50 Double Unders? A 400lb Squat? If everyone could do it, it wouldn't be nearly as valuable once you achieve it.

Note: If you train at a serious gym or a CrossFit Affiliate, at times you may be doing yourself a disservice by comparing your performance with those of people around you. Some people have just been at it longer than you, others are naturally talented and seem to learn everything at the drop of a hat. In any case I'd wager that regardless of what it is you're working on, someone somewhere is struggling more with that skill than you are.

5. Remember it will always be your goat, tamed wild or otherwise

While the law of diminishing returns tells us the better you get at something the more difficult incremental improvements will be, it is important that we don't treat our goats like a checklist. What would happen if you stop working on double unders after you finally get one? What about after you string 20 together, should you stop then? 

Find a happy medium, and accept the fact that you'll always have to stay sharp when it comes your goat, otherwise it will surprise you when you least expect it.

Remember your goats will always belong to you, and with a bit of preventative action you'll be able to keep them tame for the long haul.