Exercise and I have never gotten along. In elementary school my classmates frequently used me as the handball target. In high school I was elated that I could join the speech and debate team and satisfy my “sports” requirement. A year ago I succumbed to peer pressure and tried a spin class. Turns out that I am so allergic to exercising that I somewhat violently fell off the bike and the instructor was so overcome with laughter that she had to stop the class to catch her breath. I am just really bad at physical activities. Why then am I extremely passionate about daily exercise? Because I am a small business development expert and if you are an entrepreneur or a small business owner, then you should be exercising your business muscles! Let’s talk about what that means.
Extremes don’t work when it comes to exercising or entrepreneurship. If you never exercise then your body becomes weak and soft. If you exercise too much then you become brittle and fatigued. The same rings true for business owners. If you don’t consistently pay attention to the details regarding your company, then the structure becomes fragile and easily brought down. If you pay too much attention to the business and try to control ever aspect, then you become exhausted and weary. Nothing good or successful comes from extremes. The goal is to find a happy medium in order to create a healthy and happy environment for yourself and the people around you.
How can you work out your business muscles? There are hundreds of ways to achieve your dream “business body” but you have to find what works for you. For example, sometimes you need to get out of your comfort zone and join a class. Learn a new skill and potentially make some new connections along the way. Put your hands to work and start writing. Post thoughtful content across your social media channels and show off your expertise. You need to goal set in your business just like you would in a gym. Once you reach your “target” then it’s time to set some new, attainable goals. If all of this seems overwhelming to do on your own, then consider using a business coach. Business coaches are great for one on one training and you can find different coaches for different niches that interest you. Just like joining a gym, you have to commit to this new way of life. You have to hold yourself accountable and not make excuses for not showing up. If you want a better business, then you have to do the work. But how great will you feel once you have elevated the health of your business? Everything in your life will feel better, faster and stronger. Maybe then you will encourage others to do the same. A healthy business revolution with have taken place and we will all be better for it. Go Team!!
The fact is, regular daily exercise, for both you and your business, is life changing. Start slow, be consistent and change it up if you find yourself getting bored. It is important to find what works for you but after some time you will wonder why you didn’t start this sooner. And if you need a business buddy to work out with, I don’t do bikes but I’d be very happy to help.
