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We all know that working out is good for your mind and your body, so why don’t we make it a priority? Research shows an amazing correlation between working out and success (whatever you may define as success). I have witnessed firsthand how working out 4-5 times per week can significantly boost productivity, confidence, happiness, and clarity. Working out can literally change your life (in more ways than one).
However, as entrepreneurs we tend to spend hours hiding out behind a computer screen neglecting activities that could make those hours more impactful. Wouldn’t your rather sit at your computer for two hours with intense focus and productivity than sit at your computer for five hours bouncing around from meaningless task to meaningless task?
The benefits of working out are many, but for me the confidence and sense of accomplishment I feel after completing a CrossFit workout are above and beyond anything else, so let’s start there.
Builds Confidence
Working out builds confidence. Think about when you first rode your bike without training wheels. If you are anything like me, that moment had you beaming! You celebrated because you did it! There are so many cool things you can do in the gym (regardless of what shape you are in). It’s a place to learn and grow.
Knowing you pushed through the toughest workout of the week will have you swelling with pride and a new found sense of accomplishment.
You open your workout app & stare at your phone screen. Holy cow that workout looks hard. But you buckle up, head to the gym, lace up your shoes and do the damn thing. When you start making it through workouts that you never thought you could, that confidence will spill over into every other area of your life. That big hairy audacious goal you had? Yeah, it doesn’t seem so big and scary anymore because you are feeling confident in yourself and your abilities as an overall human being.
Clears Your Head Space
We here it over and over again that working out is the best therapy. If you are anything like me your brain is like an Internet browser with too many tabs open. Very rarely can I close out all my tabs and be fully present in the moment. It’s something I am working on, and the gym is helping tremendously.
Pushing yourself physically has a lot to do with pushing yourself mentally. When people say, “It’s all in your head.” That’s true 95% of the time. The gym is where I can fully immerse myself in my workout. Coach myself to push through and keep going. If I didn’t clear my head like this every day, I might go insane.
Helps Create a Schedule
I’m constantly hearing people say, “I don’t have time.” I also know many entrepreneurs who struggle with time management and creating a schedule for their day. When you transition from having a boss, to being your own boss it can be absolutely overwhelming trying to figure out where to spend your time, how much time to spend there, and so on.
Having a set time to get up, take a break, & get in a good sweat provides structure.
Now, instead of sitting at your desk from 6am – 8pm and forgetting to eat lunch, you build out your day around your workout. I like to workout in the evening. It makes me close my laptop & end my work day when a normal human should. On the flip side, I know many entrepreneurs that like to rise with the crack of dawn & head to the gym or out for a run. That’s my coffee, journaling, and most productive time of the day, so I use it for personal development & then a little client work. I can be sluggish in the evening after a full day on the computer, so it’s the perfect time to flip the script and get in my workout zone.
Goal Setting
Every business owner and personal development junkie likes to set goals, and the gym is the perfect place to set goals and create a plan to achieve them. Sounds a lot like running a business if you ask me.
Goal setting in the gym comes naturally and that habit and practice can easily translate to your business.
The best part about health & fitness goals is that they can be extremely personal. CrossFit has me setting new goals each and every week. I want to get a muscle up, clean more weight, learn how to do double unders.
Instills Good Habits
Habits make or break your life. Going to the gym can be hard at first. You have to carve out time in your day, find the motivation to get there, and avoid distractions and excuses that pull you away from following through on your commitment. We face these same EXACT battles in our daily lives as entrepreneurs. Sometimes you have to say no to fancy cocktails on a Friday night because our client has a big launch the next morning.
Habits have to correlate with your why, both in business and in your health.
The next time you want to skip the gym, that networking event, or that business trip. Think about your “why.” If you create daily habits around your why (both in and out of the gym) you will stay healthy, happy, and focused. My life coach, Nicole Hague has an AMAZING course on daily habits that has absolutely changed my life. If you are looking for more purpose and fulfillment in how and where you spend your time, I highly recommend her course. It’s been a game changer for me.
Ignites Competition
I’m not just talking about smash the shit out of the other team competition. If there is any place on earth to compete with yourself and yourself only, it is in the gym or on the running trails. Your personal record time might be 10 times slower than the big buff guy, but that is what makes working out so rewarding… You set goals and push your body and mind to reach them. It’s an outer AND an inner battle of working a little harder each day to compete with your very best self.