2 EXERCISE INCREASES MENTAL ENDURANCE. college student ever. Mentally demanding tasks drain you like physically demanding tasks do. Research shows that physical fortitude is linked to mental fortitude. In a 2016 study on professional and recreational cyclists, researchers discovered that the professional cyclists outdid their recreational counterparts in a mentally fatiguing task— and weren’t as tired afterward .1 Though the researchers think that this mental toughness could be hereditary, they also speculate that the intense physical training regimens of the athletes strengthen their minds and their willpower. Working out can do more than increase your physical endurance. It can improve your mental and emotional toughness as well, helping you stay engaged in your business-building efforts, even in the face of challenges. “A learned mind is a tired mind and body,” said every
1 EXERCISE DEVELOPS DISCIPLINE. The 5 a.m. alarm goes off and you would scream, except screaming is too difficult. You made a commitment to be on the 5:30 team call, but your body has turned to lead. At this moment, there is only one thing that will get you out of bed: discipline. Discipline is a skill. It’s something that needs to be trained and built before the need for it arises.Because working out is physically and mentally difficult, it’s the perfect discipline builder. Regular exercisers are really good at keeping commitments to themselves. They commit to work out regularly, even when they get busy. No one would know if they didn’t complete the 50 pushups or 5 miles they committed to do. But they committed. So they do them. In return, they get strong bodies and disciplined minds. Use exercise as a tool to increase your discipline and self-mastery. If you can keep squatting when your legs are full of pure fire, you can make the calls you promised you would.
3 EXERCISE BOOSTS ENERGY. People aren’t getting enough sleep, aren’t slowing down enough, and aren’t moving their bodies enough. And though you may be sick of hearing this, exercise is the answer. A 2006 study at the University of Georgia concluded that exercise is more effective in reducing fatigue and increasing energy than a prescription stimulant for narcolepsy. 2 The study covered a wide variety of groups—including healthy adults, cancer patients, and even those with diabetes and heart disease. Exercise reduced fatigue in nearly every group. Increased energy could help you put more time into building your business or even allow you to build with more heart and enthusiasm. In our fast-paced society, fatigue is all too common.
4 EXERCISE BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS. to relationships, what doesn’t kill does actually make you stronger. Couples who survive a trying time usually end up closer, knowing that their partner will always be there to help them through anything. Think back to team sports from your youth. Remember how close you were with your teammates? You pushed through sweat and tears to victory or defeat. And it bonded your team. Conquering together, suffering together, sweating together, and crying about soreness together created team intimacy and true friendships. Create fun, trusting relationships with your teammembers, your customers, and the soccer mom who takes your son to practice by surviving a grueling workout together. Join a running club, a CrossFit gym, or a yoga studio and expand your contact list. Enhance lives (including your own) by improving health while building meaningful relationships. Cue the Kelly Clarkson because when it comes
28 SEPTEMBER I OCTOBER 2019 | MELALEUCA.COM
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