by Brock Severson
On December 29th, 2009 I wrote an email to Tyler Quinn inquiring about his Crossfit gym in Minneapolis. I closed the email with this sentence: “I currently workout on a daily basis but am looking for something more challenging and the possibility of becoming certified to train, sometime down the line”. Hell, “down the line” took half a decade, and pursuing my legend started with that email. Side note on Tyler: Every time you do an Alchemy workout and say “that was a killer”, you have Tyler to thank for the programming.
I always felt when I started a new project, the elusive finish line was light years away. I have a flair for perfectionism and fear of commitment, possibly inherited or learned over the years? Maybe this explains why it took me 6 years after realizing and stating my desire to coach to make the leap. In the gym, nothing made me feel as strong (or as weak!) as pushing myself with others in class. It was only natural that I made the move from Bally’s Total Fitness (blast from the past!) to CrossFit. I met a few lululemon girls along the way, and started my first and only job in a clothing store (the. best. clothing. store!). It only took 3 years of working part time at lululemon to go into a full time role, again demonstrating the patterns of my slow transitions. However, as Alchemy started to become a living and breathing idea, I couldn’t miss taking part.
As someone who never makes a decision without being 100% sure of the results, it was a leap for me to leave lululemon. Trusting my decisions and even more, putting my trust in people around me is hard. I’ve learned to do both because of the supportive communities from Alchemy, Crossfit and lululemon. I’ve surrounded myself with amazing individuals that are up to amazing things and only want what’s best for the people around them. In doing so, they cultivate a culture of trust that I personally wouldn’t have known elsewhere. It’s what made the decision to come to Alchemy one of the fastest I have ever made. When Tyler asked me if I’d want to coach the answer was immediately, YES.
If it takes me 6 more years to make a move that feels this good, it’s worth the wait. I’m officially on a path that has the power to change people’s lives, grow my own and genuinely create greatness in this world. Along with these amazing folks I now call colleagues, I can trust the decision is right. Tyler often jokes about how he made me the man I am today and I won’t lie, he’s made his mark! On December 4th 2015, I coached my first ever A10 class. Who knew this is where I’d be 6 years after my inquiry into coaching…apparently, I did.
#PYL
Brock Severson is Studio Marketing Manager and Coach at Alchemy North Loop. In his spare time he enjoys traveling the globe, driving his Subaru, and making people laugh.
