How CrossFitters Can Build Financial Strength: Discipline, Coaching, and Long-Term Success

Chapter 1: Why Financial Fitness is the Next Level for Athletes

You already know how to push your limits. You show up when it’s hard. You track your progress, stick to your programming, and chase personal records with relentless energy. You’ve committed yourself to physical excellence — and you want to bring that same intensity to your financial life.

Financial well-being, like physical fitness, doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built through discipline, long-term vision, and coaching. And just like in CrossFit, the effort you invest today will compound over time, creating the kind of future most people only dream about.

Maybe you've never thought about "financial fitness" the same way you think about your front squat form or your Fran time. But the truth is, the same tools you use to crush it in the box — focus, resilience, strategic planning — are the exact tools you need to crush your financial goals.

In this guide, we'll explore how the CrossFit mindset can transform your financial future. We'll uncover the hidden mistakes even the most disciplined athletes make when it comes to money. And most importantly, we'll show you how to build a financial plan that gives you freedom, security, and strength — for life.

You’ve built a strong body.
Now, let’s build strong finances to match.

Ready? Let’s go.

Chapter 2: The Parallels Between Physical and Financial Fitness

You didn’t stumble into your first pull-up. You didn’t casually deadlift twice your body weight. You trained, you struggled, you adapted — and you conquered.

Financial strength follows the same pattern. The habits and mindset you’ve already developed as an athlete are your greatest assets in building wealth.

Let’s connect the dots.

2.1 Goal Setting: Define the Win

In CrossFit, you don’t just "work out." You chase specific goals: a heavier lift, a faster mile, a better Open score. You strive to be better than yesterday. 

In financial fitness, the principle is the same. You need specific, measurable, motivating goals.

• accumulating “x” dollars by retirement.
• Building the appropriate emergency fund.
• Paying off student loans by a certain date.

Without a clear target, you drift.
With a clear target, you dominate.

2.2 Training Plan: Random Effort = Random Results

Would you walk into the gym, throw some weights around, and hope for the best?

Of course not.

You follow a plan — one carefully crafted to balance strength, mobility, endurance, and recovery.

Your financial life deserves the same thoughtfulness.
Budgeting, saving, investing, debt management — it all needs to be part of a deliberate, strategic plan.

Without structure, you might get lucky here and there. But structured, consistent effort beats luck every time.

2.3 Discipline: Show Up When You Don’t Feel Like It

Some days, you’re fired up to train. Other days, you want to hit snooze and skip the WOD.

You show up anyway.

This consistency — especially when motivation wanes — is what separates average athletes from elite ones.

Financially, it’s the same.

• Consistently contributing to your investments.
• Consistently budgeting.
• Consistently saying "no" to impulse purchases.

Small, unsexy decisions — repeated over time — build extraordinary outcomes.

2.4 Progress Tracking: Measure What Matters

You don’t "feel" stronger by accident. You track your lifts. You time your runs. You benchmark your performance.

In your financial life, metrics matter too:

• Net worth tracking
• Debt payoff milestones
• Required rate of return

What you measure, you improve.

2.5 Mental Toughness: Endure the Plateaus

No one talks enough about the plateaus. The weeks — or months — where nothing seems to improve. You’re working just as hard, but the PRs stop coming.

That’s when most people quit.

But not you. You know that staying the course during plateaus is the secret to real transformation.

Financially, the same principle applies.

• Markets fluctuate.
• Progress sometimes stalls.
• Boring periods feel endless.

The key isn’t to change strategies impulsively. The key is to stay focused on the big picture, trusting the process you've built.

Chapter 3: Why Even Disciplined Crossfitters Stumble Financially

You’d think that someone with the discipline to show up to a 6AM WOD three days a week, dial in their nutrition, and grind through tough workouts would naturally crush their financial goals too.

But discipline in one arena doesn't automatically translate to another.

When it comes to money, many driven athletes make critical mistakes — not because they lack grit, but because they lack a strategy tailored to the financial world.

You can deadlift twice your body weight. You can survive Murph.
But financial resilience? That’s a different kind of strength — and it requires a different kind of coaching.

Let’s break down the five most common financial mistakes even the most committed CrossFitters (and fitness enthusiasts) make — and how you can avoid them.

Chapter 4: The 5 Financial Mistakes Even Committed CrossFitters Make

Mistake #1: Thinking You Don’t Need a Coach

You already know the power of coaching in fitness.

A coach keeps you accountable. A coach refines your technique. A coach sees when you're slipping, even when you don’t. A coach knows when you need to push harder — and when you need to pull back.

Without a coach?

• You plateau.
• You get injured.
• You waste time chasing the wrong goals.

Financial coaching works exactly the same way.

The DIY Trap

It’s tempting to think, "I’m smart. I can figure this out."
Download a few investing apps. Read a few blogs. Watch a couple YouTube videos. Done, right?

Until the market drops 20%.
Until inflation spikes.
Until life throws a curveball at your finances.

Suddenly, all that "knowledge" isn’t enough to know what you should actually do.

The Back Squat Lesson (Personal Story)

I've been around the gym most of my life. I know the basics. And years ago, I thought improving my squat would be simple: just work harder. More sets. More weight. More intensity.

I didn’t need a coach for something as basic as the squat, right?

Wrong.

One day, I started to feel a level of discomfort in my knee. Each day it seemed to get a little worse. Suddenly, I wasn’t sure what to do:

• Rest?
• Push through?
• Change exercises?
• Reduce weight?

I spun in circles second-guessing myself — and wasted valuable time.

If I’d had a coach, I wouldn’t have had to guess. A coach would’ve immediately recognized what was happening, adjusted my programming, and kept me moving forward — without long-term damage.

I knew just enough to be dangerous.

I knew enough to get myself hurt.

Same with money.

Knowing how to invest in an S&P 500 index fund is one thing.
Knowing how to manage your emotions during a bear market — when panic headlines are everywhere — is another.

Without a coach to guide you through uncertainty, you're vulnerable to costly mistakes.

The Investor Version of My Back Squat Mistake

Imagine this:

You open a brokerage account.
You invest in the S&P 500.
You pat yourself on the back.

Then a market correction hits. Stocks drop 25% over six months.

• Should you buy more because "everything's on sale"?
• Should you sell to "cut your losses"?
• Should you switch to gold? Crypto? Cash?

The headlines are screaming. Your instincts are screaming louder.
Without a coach — a seasoned financial advisor — you're left guessing.

A good financial advisor knows that emotional decision-making is the biggest destroyer of long-term wealth.
They help you stay committed to your plan, adjust when necessary, and keep moving forward, even through pain points.

Key Takeaway:

In CrossFit and finance alike, the real danger isn’t in a bad day or a tough market.
The real danger is thinking you can "go it alone" when it matters most.

Hiring a financial coach doesn’t mean you’re weak.
It means you’re smart enough to leverage expert insight — so you can achieve what few people ever do: true financial strength.

Mistake #2: Not Having a Written Financial Plan

Would you show up to the gym with no plan at all?
Just walk in, glance around, jog a little, grab a barbell, maybe swing a kettlebell?

It might feel productive in the moment. But without a program — a strategic plan designed around your goals — real progress is unlikely.

Random effort produces random results.

In CrossFit, we know better. You have a written program:

• Clear goals
• Structured training cycles
• Planned recovery days
• Tracking sheets for PRs and benchmarks

Financial fitness demands the same structure.

The Danger of "Kinda Having a Plan"

Many people "kinda" have a financial plan:

• They kinda save money.
• They kinda invest.
• They kinda think about retirement.

But without a written, specific plan, it’s too easy to drift.

Life gets busy. Emotions creep in. Opportunities are missed.
When there’s no written commitment, it’s easy to bail when challenges arise — just like skipping a tough workout because you didn’t officially schedule it.

The Power of a Written Plan

A written financial plan brings clarity, accountability, and focus:

• Clarity: You know exactly what you're working toward (not just "retire someday" but "have $1.5M by age 60").
• Accountability: You have milestones to hit (e.g., save $20,000 for an emergency fund by year-end).
• Focus: You invest intentionally, not reactively.

Most importantly, when the inevitable setbacks come — whether a market downturn, a big unexpected expense, or just a bad month — your written plan reminds you:

"This is part of the journey. Stick with it."

Fitness Example: Why Written Goals Matter

Ever had a coach write your 6-month strength goals on the board?
Suddenly, you train differently. Every session has purpose. Every choice matters.

You push through fatigue because the target is real.
The same psychology applies financially.

No plan = No focus = No breakthrough.

Mistake #3: Quitting After Not Seeing Immediate Progress

We’ve all been there.

You’re training hard. Following the program. Eating clean.
And yet...

• Your lift numbers stall.
• Your body composition won’t budge.
• Your mile time barely improves.

You feel like you’re spinning your wheels. And it’s maddening.

Financially?
The same emotional trap happens all the time.

The Frustration of Plateaus

Building wealth, like building strength, involves invisible progress.

Sometimes you save for months, invest diligently, and your portfolio barely moves.
Or worse — it shrinks because the market's having a bad year.

• You think, "Why bother?"
• You wonder, "Is this even working?"
• You feel tempted to quit, switch strategies, "try something new."

The Danger of Short-Term Thinking

Short-term results can be deceiving.
Especially in investing.

For example:

• One year the market could be up 28%.
• The next year it could be down 15%.
• Neither year defines your long-term success.

Trying to "optimize" your plan every time progress feels slow is like switching workout programs every three weeks because you don't have a new PR yet.

You’re not giving your plan enough time to work.

How Athletes Overcome Plateaus — And What Investors Can Learn

Good athletes know:

• Plateaus are not failures. They’re part of the process.
• Progress often comes in sudden bursts — after long stretches of "nothing happening."
• Consistency wins over the long run.

Good investors know:

• Wealth compounds quietly.
• Staying invested during slow and tough periods is what sets you up for explosive growth later.
• Chasing "shiny object" investments usually ends badly.

Let’s Get Real: My Personal Struggle With Plateaus

When I first started really training for CrossFit competitions, plateaus drove me crazy.

I would see other athletes making massive jumps in performance — and here I was, grinding away with what felt like zero improvement.

Sometimes I thought about changing course.

But I learned that the real "secret" wasn’t some magic new program. It was sticking to my boring, consistent, well-built plan — even when it didn’t feel exciting.

The same is true for your finances.

"Boring" investing beats "exciting" investing over time.

Mistake #4: Giving Up After a Major Setback

Injury.
Failure.
Burnout.

In fitness, setbacks are inevitable.
Everyone gets sidelined at some point. Even the most elite athletes.

The question is: how do you respond?

The Financial Equivalent of an Injury

Financial setbacks are part of the journey, too:

• Market crashes
• Job losses
• Big unexpected expenses (medical bills, family emergencies)

When your portfolio tanks, or your savings take a hit, it’s tempting to panic — to "pull out," go to cash, abandon your plan.

But that’s the financial equivalent of giving up training after a pulled hamstring.

You don't give up training forever after a small injury.
You rehab. You adjust. You stay in the game.

Why Setbacks Feel So Emotional

Setbacks aren't just painful — they feel like evidence that "it's not working."

The emotional response is powerful:

• "I'm terrible at this."
• "This market is broken."
• "Maybe I'm just not meant to invest."

But just like in CrossFit, the truth is this:

Progress isn’t linear.
Strength is built through struggle, not in its absence.

Historical Perspective: Markets Always Recover

If you're worried about financial setbacks, here’s some perspective:

• 2008 Financial Crisis: The market fell over 50%. It fully recovered — and then some — within a few years.
• COVID Crash (2020): Stocks dropped over 30% in a matter of weeks. By the end of 2020, they hit all-time highs again.
• Countless recessions before and after — always followed by recoveries.

Investors who stay the course during these periods come out far stronger financially than those who bailed.

Fitness Analogy: Rebuilding After Injury

I’ve had my share of injuries — and believe me, the temptation to quit is strong.

After a rotator cuff issue, I couldn’t do pull-ups for months. It was brutal.
But I worked with a coach, rebuilt my strength, modified movements — and eventually came back stronger than before.

Financial setbacks work the same way.
They aren’t fatal unless you make them fatal by quitting.

Stay engaged. Adjust your plan if needed. Keep moving forward.

Mistake #5: Listening to the Wrong “Coach”

Social media is full of health & fitness influencers, all with their own spin on what you “need” :

• "You need to be doing 100 burpees every day."
• "You gotta switch to only kettlebell training."
• "Intermittent fasting is the only way to get ripped."

Most of it?
Noise.

Advice without context. Advice without understanding your specific needs.

Financial Noise Is Everywhere

Social media is flooded with "hot tips":

• "Buy Bitcoin now!"  
• "Gold is the only safe investment."  
• "Everyone should be in real estate." 
• "Stocks are risky!"

Just like in fitness, following the wrong advice in finance can leave you injured — financially and emotionally.

The Danger of Mimicking Others

Maybe your neighbor invested in cryptocurrency and doubled their money last year.
Maybe your coworker brags about how they're "crushing it" with penny stocks.

You feel the pull to jump ship and follow them.

But here’s the reality:

• You don’t know their full financial situation.
• You don’t know their risk tolerance.
• You don’t know their long-term goals.
• You don’t know what losses they’re hiding.

Investing based on someone else's game plan is a recipe for regret.

How Athletes Avoid Bad Fitness Advice

In fitness, smart athletes:

• Stick to programs designed for their goals.
• Trust coaches who know their history and limitations.
• Focus on fundamentals, not fads.

You should do the same financially.

Work with a professional who understands your needs.
Follow a strategy aligned with your long-term vision — not someone else's quick win.

Chapter 5: 3 Essential Lessons CrossFitters Need to Apply to Their Financial Journey

You already have the grit.
You already have the discipline.
You already have the mindset.

Now, it's about channeling that into a repeatable, strategic framework for financial success.

These are the three lessons every CrossFitter — and every serious athlete — must master to build financial strength that lasts.

Lesson 1: Hire the Right Coach

You wouldn’t trust just anyone to teach you Olympic lifts.

You wouldn’t let some random YouTuber program your training cycles.

You know the difference a great coach makes:

• Personalized attention
• Tailored strategy
• Correction before injury
• Accountability through tough times

Your financial future deserves the same caliber of mentorship.

What a Great Financial Coach Does:

• Helps you define your true goals (beyond "I want to make money")
• Builds a customized, written financial plan around your life
• Prepares you emotionally for volatility
• Provides perspective when fear or greed kicks in
• Celebrates your wins and keeps you moving through setbacks

How to Choose the Right Financial Coach:

• Look for experience and credentials (are they qualified in financial planning? Behavioral finance?)
• Look for philosophy alignment (Are they goal-based? Long-term focused?)
• Look for personal connection (You should feel understood, not judged.)

A great coach doesn’t just manage your money — they coach you through your financial fitness journey.

Lesson 2: Put Your Financial Plan in Writing

Imagine doing a year of CrossFit training with no record of:

• How much you lifted
• How fast you completed your workouts
• How many days you trained

How would you know if you were improving?

You wouldn’t.

The same applies to your finances.

A Written Plan Does Three Powerful Things:

1. Clarifies Your Destination: What does success actually look like? (Early retirement? Debt-free living? Starting a business?)
2. Structures Your Actions: How much do you need to save? Where should you invest? How do you protect yourself?
3. Fortifies Your Mindset: During tough markets or life events, your plan reminds you: "This is part of the process. Stay the course."

Key Elements of a Good Financial Plan:

• Emergency fund strategy
• Debt repayment plan (if applicable)
• Investment allocation
• Retirement targets
• Tax optimization strategies
• Contingency plans for major life events

It doesn’t have to be a 100-page binder.
It does have to be written, reviewed, and updated as your life evolves.

Just like a training program.

Lesson 3: Execute Relentlessly

Having a plan is vital.
But execution is everything.

You can have the best coach in the world.
You can have the best programming in the world.
But if you don't show up?
If you don't put in the work?
Nothing happens.

Execution in Fitness = Execution in Finance

Fitness execution looks like:

• Showing up on days you don’t feel like it
• Pushing through tough sessions
• Adjusting intelligently during setbacks

Financial execution looks like:

• Investing consistently (even when it feels "boring")
• Rebalancing when needed
• Sticking to savings goals during tempting times
• Avoiding impulsive moves based on fear or hype

Automation: Your Secret Weapon

One of the best ways to support relentless execution? Automation.

Set up automatic contributions to:

• Retirement accounts
• Brokerage accounts
• Emergency savings

Remove willpower from the equation.
Let systems carry the weight.

Consistency beats intensity — in the gym and in your financial life.

Chapter 6: How Financial Coaching Works

You’ve seen firsthand how coaching accelerates growth in the gym.
It’s no different in your financial life.

Working with a financial coach — a true professional who understands the game you're playing — can be the difference between drifting aimlessly and building a future with power, purpose, and freedom.

But financial coaching isn’t just about "investing advice."
It’s about building a total wealth strategy that supports your life goals.

What a Financial Coach Actually Does:

• Clarifies Your Vision: You may have vague goals now ("retire someday" or "be financially free"). A coach helps you define what those goals really look like — and when you want to reach them.
• Builds a Plan Around Your Life: Every CrossFitter’s training program is different. Every financial plan should be, too. Your coach tailors your strategy to your timeline, your priorities, your risk tolerance.
• Keeps You Accountable: Just like your gym coach knows when you’re sandbagging your reps, a financial advisor will know when you're avoiding key financial tasks — and they’ll help you course-correct.
• Protects You From Emotional Mistakes: Panic selling. Buying into hype. Making fear-based choices. A financial coach is your emotional buffer in volatile times.

6A. Frequently Asked Questions: Financial Planning for CrossFitters and Athletes

Do I really need a financial advisor if I'm good with money?
A: Being disciplined with money is a great start — but it doesn’t replace strategy. Just like you wouldn’t program your Olympic lifting cycle without expert input, your financial future deserves more than guesswork. A financial coach helps you build a strategy, avoid blind spots, and stay on track when emotions run high.

When should I start financial planning?
A: Now. Whether you're in your 20s or your 50s, the earlier you create a plan, the more flexibility, growth, and compounding potential you’ll have. Start when your income is rising — not when you're already overwhelmed.

Is financial planning only for wealthy people?
A: Not at all. In fact, the people who benefit most from financial planning are those who are on their way to building wealth — just like athletes benefit most from coaching early in their training journey. The earlier you start, the better your outcomes.

What if the market crashes? Isn’t it risky to invest?
A: Markets go up and down — that’s normal. The real risk is reacting emotionally. A coach helps you stay focused, make smart adjustments, and build long-term wealth through every cycle.

What’s the first step if I want to work with Beck Bode?
A: Start with a no-pressure consultation. We’ll talk about your goals, assess your financial picture, and show you what coaching could look like for your specific journey. You don’t need to be perfect to start — you just need to be ready for a real conversation.

When Should You Hire a Financial Coach?

• When you start earning serious income
• When you have financial goals you’re serious about achieving
• When you realize doing it yourself isn’t leading to real progress
• When you want to protect your future — not just react to it

The Bottom Line:

You wouldn’t train for the CrossFit Games without a coach.
Why train for the biggest financial event of your life — your future — without one?

Ready to talk to a Beck Bode financial coach who understands the discipline, resilience, and ambition it takes to win?
Let’s do this — together.

Chapter 7: Final Thoughts: Build Your Next PR — In Life and Wealth

You already know what it takes to master a heavy lift.
You already know what it takes to crush a brutal WOD.

It’s not luck. It’s not shortcuts. It’s not overnight success.

It’s relentless consistency, strategic coaching, and the guts to keep moving forward — even when it’s hard.

Your financial fitness journey is no different.

Imagine the pride you feel hitting a personal best after months (or years) of training.
Now imagine feeling that same surge of pride knowing:

• You can retire early — if you want to
• You can fund your passions and adventures without stress
• You can take care of your family with confidence
• You can live life on your own terms

That’s financial freedom.
And it’s 100% within your reach.

Remember:

• Hire the right coach.
• Put your plan in writing.
• Execute relentlessly.
• Stay consistent through plateaus.
• Tune out the noise.

You have the discipline.
You have the drive.
You have the mindset.

Now it’s time to build your next PR — in life, wealth, and freedom.

Let’s go.

Ben Beck is Managing Partner & Chief Investment Officer at Beck Bode, a deliberately different wealth management firm with a unique view on investing, business, and life.