Why Work Out?

Working out renews your body and mind in ways that are not understood or felt doing much of anything else. We all like having new clothes, new cars, new accessories and new gadgets but nothing will bring you the freedom, fulfillment, satisfaction and happiness felt after a great workout. Yes, it’s much easier to buy new things than it is to exert your energy and inflict the pain upon your body that a great workout is full of in an effort to renew your body and mind but new clothes and gadgets get old quick and can be ruined as fast as they can be smeared or dropped, whereas renewing your body and mind give you the shelter and confidence that is ever-green and ever-lasting. With every workout you give yourself the opportunity to press the refresh button and start on a new path with a clear mind and without the toxins in your body that fill your pores and clarity. Each workout is a chance to see a new and stronger version of you within the gym. The great news is that the new and stronger version of you also translates outside of the gym and demonstrates the confidence you have gained by increasing your capacity in the gym. With each workout the transformation process starts and continues to make you create a stronger and more confident person which will be noticed outside of the gym and in other facets of your life. This renewing process is impactful and much more valuable than a new shirt, belt or phone. I’ve always said, it’s not our clothes that make us look good but it’s our bodies that make us look good. It feels truer every time I say it. Working out has enormous benefits that will bring so much value and positive changes into your life. First, by committing to the gym you are putting your stake in the ground and declaring that you will have the discipline, self-control and resilience to keep up with a goal that you really want to stay on top of. The daily habits that people have create their future and lead them down the road to short term and long term destinations or objectives and working out consistently with a plan is a definite way to become healthier and to renew your body and mind to become a better version of you. Secondly, by working out and showing off your progress you are showing off to the world you are disciplined and have the focus and awareness to make right decisions. A healthy gym body shows the world you can manage your diet and you care about your health and fitness levels. Compare this to someone who does not work out. The difference is those who work out create an image that they can outlast and outperform others who don’t work out. Everyone knows going to the gym can sometimes be a struggle but we all go because we love the feeling of accomplishment and the feeling that we did something great for ourselves today and the benefits can be more than meets the eye. Let’s say for example you are going in for a job interview. You are ready to rock and roll and get this position. You are in the waiting area with other potential candidates and you start to size them up. All you are thinking is….”I deserve this position. These people can’t keep up with me! Look at them, I am in better shape and I deserve this position. I know I can run faster and lift more than these people.” Working out gives you a physical and mental edge over those who don’t. I’m sorry if you didn’t realize this before and I definitely don’t want to sound like a jerk but it’s true. If you do work out you know what I mean and if you don’t you can start anytime and find out for yourself that this is true. Now think about it through the lens of the employer. You have all these candidates who are more or less equally qualified from an experience or credential perspective so you are really seeking the competitive advantage or differentiator between all these candidates. So you ask yourself....”How hard are these people going to work? How long can they last? How much can I push them to get the best out of them? Who will I hire because all I want is the best person who can stick around and give me their best performance every day? Will it be this guy who doesn’t look like he’s awake because mentally he’s still on the couch? He doesn’t look like he’s slept well in a long time and the extra weight on him makes me think he’s going to get tired fast. Can I count on him for 12 hour days? Or will be it this girl who looks extra alert and awake? She looks fit and lean. She probably works out so she knows what it takes and she knows how to push herself to get the best out of herself every day. I need someone who can really grind when needed. I think I’ll go with this girl because she has something that can’t be on a resume. She has the work ethic I am looking for because she cares to do the extra work to be fit that this guy isn’t doing.” There it is. Working out shows the world you can do something not everyone does and that is a major competitive advantage in any situation. Well try to cut it short for this article so last but not least, working out gives you the mental clarity you need throughout the day to stay alert and focused to make the best decisions possible for yourself. We all know the feeling of release and satisfaction working out does give us and it is this exact feeling that allows us to rethink anything and look at it from a totally different, usually more level headed, perspective! Stimulating the brain the way a great work out does, will take your thought process and decision making capabilities to an entirely new level. It doesn’t even need to be backed by science but since we are talking about science, it is no secret that working out does improve blood pressure and does increase energy levels helping us all think more clearly. Done so consistently, working out can potentially even take years off your brain and prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Working out also helps to trigger endorphins, which can improve the prioritizing functions of the brain. After a work out, your ability to sort out priorities improves, allowing you to block out distractions and better concentrate on the task at hand. Your brain remembers more when your body is active. This is just a snap shot of all the benefits your body, mind and soul will have once you commit to making working out a priority in your life. There is no better feeling than doing the things that can improve your well-being and working out is at the top of the list of things you can do. If you haven’t started yet or if you have just kept telling yourself you don’t have the time, make this article the one that gets you to start the process that will change not only your health and belief of what is possible but your whole life. You can begin to recreate yourself with every work out but it has to start with the first one. Every journey being s with a step and the path to a better version of you is waiting to be had. What’s your next move?