5 things I learned from the gym that I have applied to other aspects of my life
About three years ago, I traveled to Oloitoktok with my cousin. We had a joint farming project there growing onions and tomatoes. The project went sideways but that is a story for another day. After a long day of walking around inspecting my project, I decided to rest under a shade. My cousin took a photo of me which I can’t, conveniently, seem to locate it. Nothing much happened after that. Fast forward six months later and I was browsing my gallery and I stumbled upon the photo. A bit of context is important at this juncture. For a long time, I was an athlete. In high school, I was the hockey captain and our team was pretty good as I have trophies and scholarship offers to show for it. In university, I led quite an active lifestyle and was generally fit. I stepped up a notch when I completed my undergraduate degree and started working. At some point, I used to run 5kms every morning followed by a 30-minute insanity workout.
The photo showed I had a potbelly. That is how I started going to the gym. It was an attempt at getting rid of the potbelly. It turns out it is not that easy and it takes a really long time. Along the way, I picked a lot of meaningful lessons. I will share my top 5 in this article. These lessons have spilled over to other aspects of my life and I think that is where the true power of an active lifestyle lies.
#1. The reason you do something is the most important aspect
When I started going to the gym my goal was very straightforward; all I wanted to do was lose weight. If you have ever worked out to lose weight I am sure you know how difficult this can be. It is a slow and painful process and consequently, it is very easy to give up. Luckily, the coach I worked with then was really good. He advised I focus on leading an active lifestyle and the rest would follow. At first, this was hard to grasp but I finally got the message. I readjusted my goal to work towards being an active and athletic person. It didn’t get easier but I now had a greater vision that I kept me going over a long period. I started tracking progress based on how many times I went to the gym and how I performed in each workout.
One of my favorite books is “Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action” by Simon Sinek. He did a Ted Talk summarizing the key points in the book. In this phenomenal book, he stresses that organizations/individuals first need to establish WHY they do what they do before they look at WHAT they do it and HOW they do it. Within a short time, I was able to correlate my experience at the gym what I am trying to achieve at Made by People (the design consulting firm I run). In each endeavor, I need a clear WHY before everything else. You need an altruistic reason when taking on a new challenge. You will stand a better chance of succeeding if you do so.
#2. Motivation/Passion is overrated; discipline and patience are the keys
When I started, I always found the first two days of the week the easiest. By Wednesday, the body aches and general fatigue would overwhelm me. For the first 3 months, my attendance was infrequent. The mistake I was making was purely relying on my ability to motivate myself to go to the gym. Unfortunately, when you are doing something outside your comfort zone, motivation can only take you so far. I don’t know when it happened but there was a point I decided to show up no matter how I felt. Of course, there were days I struggled and didn’t go but I noticed the more consistent I was the easier it got. I no longer relied on motivation to get going. By being consistent I developed the discipline I needed.
Writing this article has been a demonstration of discipline. For the past couple of months, I have had a serious case of writer’s block. At work or in other aspects of our lives we mistakenly rely on passion or motivation to get things done. It doesn’t work all the time especially seeing you will not be excited all the time about what you are working on. Discipline and consistency is the secret recipe.
#3. Progress over perfection
Is impatience an inherent human trait? I am sure it is because why would someone who has only been working out for a month want to do the same as someone who has been lifting for many years? Why would you expect to master complicated exercises such as cleans and handstand push-ups in weeks? Scratch that. Let us talk about simpler exercises such as deadlifts and bench presses. What I thought I could do was very different from what I was able to do then. I first had to master the technique and then over time increase the load. I usually watch old videos I took when I was learning how to do a number of CrossFit exercises and they are embarrassing. However, I can also see how I progressed over time. I can see how I got better at each exercise. The best compliments you can get from two of the coaches (Wouter and Ed from the best gym in the 254 Alpha Fit) is how much your technique/form has improved.
Progress, in the right direction, is now one of my guiding principles in life. I will publish this article and continue making adjustments instead of trying to get it to be perfect from the start. We launch products and continue improving on them as users interact with them.
#4. Run your race
Someone will always lift heavier than you. Someone will always run faster than you. Other people’s abs will pop better than yours. If you fixate on how well others are doing you will get frustrated and give up. While it is good to be challenged by the people around you, it is equally important to remember that the only person you need to beat is your previous self. It sounds cliche but this is one of the most valuable life lessons.
In the business world, I have learned to look at the companies I bid against not as competitors but as rivals. I have learned not to be jealous of others doing well especially when I am struggling. We are all playing an infinite game and the idea as a business is to be around as long as possible. Instead of seeing them as competitors that need to be vanquished, I see them as rivals I can learn from and collaborate with. I focus on doing the best with my firm and not trying to get an upper hand on my rivals. I run my race.
#5. Enjoy the process
There is no fun in waking up at 4:45 am every day five times a week yet I have been doing that for almost two years now. Somehow along the way, I started enjoying routine I adopted when I started working out. I also learned to listen to my body and I take breaks when necessary. I have also experimented with other types of workouts outside the gym. I run, play squash, football, and go on hikes (Forever a Hikemaniak). I enjoy each to different degrees. If you don’t love lifting, don’t force yourself to go to the gym. Find something that you will enjoy. That is the same reason I can’t go on extreme diets (fads?) like Keto. I will be miserable the entire time.
I love being a designer. On a day to day basis, my work as a CEO takes me away from this. However, the designer’s mindset has helped me infuse the thought process to my sales and management practices. With the change, I have managed to enjoy the process allowing me to continuously push myself.
Those are my top five for now. Overall, working out has had a huge positive aspect in my life. I am healthier and I feel more confident about my body and myself. As a result, I am more productive and focused. I have also made new friends with whom we share a lot. It has made me more focused and disciplined.
Most, if not all gyms, have been closed during this period. However, you can still stay active by doing home workouts. Gyms and individual trainers are offering online classes via Zoom. My gym Alpha Fit has different options to meet your needs. I highly recommend Ed Mujumba, Isaac Hunja, Nikky Fitness, and Jyoane & Winnie. They are all certified and highly professional trainers. Do check them out by following the links above.
