“Training gives us an outlet for suppressed energies created by stress and thus tones the spirit just as exercise conditions the body.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger
There’s no doubt about the fact that hitting the gym improves both body and mind. Increased endorphins result in more energy, which has a positive effect on every aspect of your life, including your business. But how can pumping iron, specifically, enhance your business goals and assist you to succeed? With a little help from bodybuilding’s head honcho, Arnold Schwarzenegger, we unpack all the ways lifting weights can strengthen your approach to business.
A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ZEN.
Anyone who has ever picked up a set of weights at the gym will know that pushing yourself to reach new limits may have a lot to do with your physical strength, but also depends largely on your willpower. Learning to focus and cancel out distractions is an integral part of making progress when pumping iron. You know what this means, don’t you? Leave that bloody phone in your locker! You shouldn’t be checking texts between reps. Knowing how to concentrate solely on the task at hand is an invaluable skill in business and one which can be honed at the gym. By clearing your mind completely of other responsibilities or worries, you can visualise what you want your body to do, grit your teeth and make it happen. This focused mindset can significantly enhance your approach to business.
WORKING HARD AND SMART.
Many people are under the misconception that bodybuilding is just about going hard or going home. But you have to be smart about it too. Self-discipline and tedious organisation play a large role in the process of shaping muscles. You need to have the drive to reach your goals and the forethought to map out a plan to get there. It isn’t just about hitting the gym and going hell for leather. There are strategies and schedules behind all that muscle flexing and posing. Many business owners thrive at reaching their gym goals because they know how to build an effective strategy. They do it every damn day after all!
ADDRESSING YOUR WEAK POINTS FIRST.
When toning muscles, as with running a business, you must address your weakest points first. There was a time in Arnie’s bodybuilding career when he realised that he’d let his calves fall by the wayside. What did he do? Cut his trouser pants off at the knee and constantly wore shorts to remind himself to make his calves a priority. If you do something really well, whether it be strengthening your biceps or landing new clients, you may be tempted to focus all your energy on that one thing and hide away your weaknesses. But it’s vital that you confront them head-on, and strive to ensure that every aspect of your body, or your business, is at the same level.
CHANGING IT UP.
“Within a basic framework, I was constantly changing my exercises. I liked to shock the muscles by not letting them get complacent in a constant routine.” You don’t advance to become the Governor of California without transferring this outlook into your business mindset as well. Bodybuilders need to constantly switch up their exercises so that they don’t plateau. Your business should be doing the same thing. Changing up your processes will help you and your team to grow and adapt to shifts in your clientele, the market, and competing businesses. Doing so will strengthen your resolve and resilience.
GAINING THE CONFIDENCE YOU NEED TO PUSH THROUGH.
A man or woman who pumps iron knows what he or she is about. Lifting weights can give you the confidence you need to put your best foot forward in every business situation. When you present yourself as a confident individual, your clients feel confident in your abilities. No one wants to work with someone who looks tired and defeated. Regularly hitting the gym, in any shape or form, enhances your energy levels, improves your posture and assists you to carry yourself with pride and conviction. The aim is not only to look like you can tackle any challenge thrown your way with the vigour of a spirited stallion, but to believe it.
As Arnie would say, “more energy!”
