Things I’ve Learned From Fitness
Every time you choose to get your workout in, you’re making a choice that impacts far more than your physical fitness alone. The gym doesn’t just build stronger muscles; it builds a stronger you, better equipped to handle the challenges, obstacles, and overall ups and downs of life. The mental strength and resilience developed through fitness are often overshadowed by improvements in physical strength and ability, so I want to shed light on some of those underrated, real-life lessons you learn as a byproduct of fitness.
You can do hard things
I preach this all the time—you’ve survived hard things before, and you’ll survive hard things again. When the dumbbell felt a thousand pounds heavier than yesterday but you still finished your set, or you got your workout in even when it was the last thing you wanted to do, you showed yourself that you’re capable of doing the hard things. When life’s testing you, channel that same energy—you didn’t think you could do one more rep, and then you did; you didn’t think you could make it to the end of the day, and then you did. Difficulty does not equal impossibility, and when you prove that to yourself time and time again through fitness, you’ll start to live by that same sentiment in the rest of your life, too.
Discomfort fosters growth
Fitness enthusiasts learn to appreciate discomfort in the gym because it implies progress. If your goal is to build strength, muscle, or endurance, you need to push past what’s easy and comfortable. Picking up a heavier dumbbell or adding an extra rep at the end of your set is neither easy nor comfortable, but you do it because you know that’s where growth happens.
This same idea holds true in the rest of your life, outside of the gym—in order to grow, you need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. If you want to become a better public speaker, you need to partake in those agonizing public speaking opportunities. If you want to make new friends, you need to introduce yourself to new people, despite the anxiety. Using what you’ve learned in the gym about embracing discomfort and applying it to the rest of your life will unlock new skills and opportunities you never would’ve uncovered within your comfort zone.
Navigating roadblocks
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the growth I just inspired you to chase will always encounter roadblocks and detours, both in fitness and in life. You’ll face obstacles in your fitness journey, like hitting frustrating plateaus or catching the flu just as you get into a good routine, but those obstacles are nothing more than temporary setbacks. When you hit a plateau, it’s a sign you’ve outgrown that phase of your fitness journey, and it’s time for new challenges, so you adjust your routine and keep going. When you catch the flu, you rest until you’re well enough to get back into it, often with a newfound appreciation for your health and the privilege of exercise. Fitness teaches us that the path to success isn’t linear, but as long as you don’t quit, you’ll still get from A to B. In life, navigating challenges rather than succumbing to them is a vital element of success—things will get in your way, but don’t let difficult roads prevent you from getting to your destination; just be patient or find another route.
Be your own muse
No one forces you to exercise—you do it for some reason within yourself, whether that be personal accomplishment, physical health and longevity, mental clarity, etc. Sure, you can have a personal trainer or a workout buddy that encourages you, but it’s completely your choice whether you get your workout in or not. In fitness, intrinsic motivation is a proven element of adherence—in other words, one of the best ways to stick to a fitness routine is to show up for you, not someone or something else. It’s obviously great to have people in your corner, and if you have supportive friends and family, you’re extremely fortunate. But, at the end of the day, we need to be our own biggest cheerleaders and advocates, and we can’t rely on other people alone.
In life, the same holds true. No one’s going to chase that promotion for you, demand better treatment from a partner for you, or pursue that big, scary goal for you. Just like in fitness, you need to find it within yourself to set out and accomplish all the incredible things you’re capable of, because it’s you versus you. You need to be your own muse.
A bad day isn’t a bad life
We all have those days where your whole workout feels like a flop, mentally and physically. You’re struggling with 15-pound dumbbells when you usually use 20s, or you’re dead after two kilometres when you can usually run five with ease—you feel weak, your head isn’t in the game, and you’re frustrated. The next day, you feel strong again, you’re back to lifting your normal weights, and you’re 100% zoned in.
In fitness and otherwise, it’s easy to catastrophize when you’re experiencing negative emotions, but having an “off day” in the gym is a good reminder that we, as humans, ebb and flow. You know that just because your workout today wasn’t the best, it doesn’t mean that you’ll never have a good workout again, so when you’re feeling sad, or anxious, or down, don’t let your mind convince you that you’ll never know happiness again. Remember that no feeling or emotion is permanent—you will always be okay.
This list is far from exhaustive—I’ve learned so much through fitness, and I continue to learn more and more as my journey progresses. These lessons have gotten me through difficult workouts and real-life challenges, and I hope they do the same for you. As you get stronger physically, you get stronger mentally, and you continue to learn more about yourself and how to navigate the world around you. Fitness has taught me more than years of therapy ever did—but, if we’re being honest, I should probably still be in therapy.