Now, I want to make one thing clear here: I don’t care how busy you are. I don’t care how senior your position is. I don’t care how demanding your day-to-day tasks are.
If you want to continue being the smart, highly-paid person that you are, you should better also become the person who works out regularly. Because chances are that if you don’t take proper care of your body, you will crash at some point.
In Berlin, I have worked with Senior Software Engineers, Project Managers, Sales Managers, Senior Product Managers, Research Directors, Doctors, Business owners and many other busy individuals working their smart asses off at companies like Zalando, Delivery Hero, Amazon, Meta, etc.
Many of them were close to burnout when we started working together. Some of them were just recovering from a burnout. Others would tell me that they are feeling drained off and overwhelmed on a regular basis.
And no wonder.
Their home-office routine was something like: wake up around 8:30 am; make a coffee and go straight to the laptop; spend the next 9 - 10 hours working; skip lunch or grab something quick because they are busy; finish work feeling exhausted; maybe go for a quick walk; order food and watch Netflix or meet friends for a beer; fall asleep around 12 pm and repeat.
“How long do you think that you can go on like that?” is my question to all of them.
Something has to change. And this change should happen within.
My message is clear: Create a healthy lifestyle that serves you in the long run, gives you energy and dictates your career.
My proposal for you is: Become the type of person who is active, healthy and works out regularly.
If you say yes to this proposal, continue reading to figure out how to do it.
BECOMING THE PERSON WHO WORKS OUT REGULARLY
Working out regularly changes your whole biochemistry to such an extent that you become more productive, more focused, more creative. Your mind gets sharper. Getting physically strong makes you mentally stronger. And you have much more power to deal with everyday life.
This is who you become. You are not thinking about stopping because it feels so good and natural to you.
This is a journey that you start and never end.
If you’ve read Atomic Habits, then you know that the goal of any habit you are trying to build is to ultimately change your identity.
It is a beautiful dance of a mindset shift along with constant, patient actions.
BUT before you can reap these benefits, you’ve got to put in some work. And that is the hard part.
At first, working out feels overwhelming, and it actually makes you feel even more tired. You need a great deal of will power to get it going. You feel insecure and weak. And you have even less time.
So what is the secret? How do you go from overwhelmed, weak and tired to confident, strong and full of energy?
Well, guess what - there is no secret. The key to becoming an active person is to start small, stay consistent, and add little things over time.
Here is my suggestion on how you can do that:
Goal: Become the person who works out 2 times per week
Challenge: In the next 3 months (12 weeks) go to the gym 2 times per week for no more than 30 min
Now, if you say that working out just two times per week for no more than 30 min does not seem like doing much and it will likely not make you much more fit… You are absolutely right.
But that’s the whole point. We want to make it easy for you to start. We want to make it easy for you to stay consistent. We want to go slowly outside of your comfort zone. We want to build the habit of going to the gym. And that’s just the beginning.
As I’ve said - start small, stay consistent, and add little things over time.
KEEP YOUR PLAN SIMPLE AND STICK TO IT
There are two mistakes that I see people make over and over again that prevent them from staying consistent with their gym routine.
Mistake 1: Start with an ambitious plan and stop following it.
Every day, every minute, there is someone who suddenly gets super excited about getting in shape. They download an extensive 4-day training plan. Download a calorie tracker. Order a big package of protein powder. Subscribe to a gym.
They go to the gym. Spend 2 hours hustling until they cannot breathe and stay on their legs anymore. Go home exhausted. In the best case scenario, they do 2-3 workouts more. And never come back. Because it just feels so hard. It requires so much will power.
Solution: What I want you to do, guys is to start small. All I want you to focus on for the next three months is to go to the gym, two times, every week and that’s it. Spend no more than 30 minutes. This will make you associate working out with something easy, something that you can manage. Something that makes you grow but doesn’t put you way too much out of your comfort zone.
Don’t think about nutrition for now. Don’t think about supplements. Don’t overthink it. Do whatever you feel like doing and leave.
Mistake 2: Getting overwhelmed with fitness information on YouTube + Social Media.
There are millions of fitness videos on YouTube. There is so much information that it easily turns into a f***ing rabbit hole. There are so many different opinions, methods, exercises, techniques that make people experience analysis paralysis.
The fitness world becomes so complex for them that they just give up. I know that from personal experience.
I am a certified PT, I have been coaching people for a couple of years now, I have been working out for over 12 years, I have competed as a powerlifter, I have read a couple of thick fitness books, and yet I easily get lost in that rabbit hole myself.
Solution: For now avoid consuming any fitness content on YouTube, Instagram, Tiktok, etc. Yes, there is some very useful content but don’t risk getting lost. Just start small. Keep it simple. Focus on one thing only: going to the gym twice every week.
Here are some practical pieces of advice on what to actually do before, while and after working out.
BEFORE THE WORKOUT
Subscribe to a gym. Theoretically, you can also do home workouts, train in nature or go for a run. However, I would strongly recommend you to train at a gym for a couple of reasons:
You will get less distracted (unlike home workouts);
You are not dependent on weather conditions (in comparison to outdoor workouts);
You can go there anytime of the day (unlike joining courses);
You will soon start linking the gym environment to working out which will make it easier to get in the right mood;
You will surround yourself with people who have a similar goal which will give you extra motivation.
Find a workout plan. It is best to start with a simple full body workout plan. Knowing what to do at the gym removes complexity. When you know exactly what you are supposed to do, you are more likely to stick to your new routine.
Add your training sessions to your (work) calendar. Don’t leave your new workout routine to chance. Be very specific about the days when you are going to the gym.
Prepare your workout stuff in advance. Have your workout outfit, a bottle of water, a towel, and sports shoes ready in advance. No matter if you are working out before or after work, you want to make it as easy as possible to grab your bag and head to the gym before you have changed your mind.
Plan for upcoming vacations. It is very likely that in the coming three months you are going to go on a vacation.(Or it might happen that you get sick). This might break your momentum a bit. That’s normal.
Prime yourself that when you return it might be more difficult to get back to your routine and you might be a bit out of shape. What is most important is to continue with your plan.
DURING THE WORKOUT
It is normal to feel self-conscious. Just accept that you will feel a bit awkward in the beginning. I can assure you that no one is actually staring at you and judging every move that you are making.
People don’t really care about what you are doing. However, if knowing this does not help, embrace feeling self-conscious. It is normal and it will not last long. I can guarantee that.
Don’t worry about results yet. For now I only want you to focus on going to the gym. That is your main goal.
Yes, I do know that you want to get in shape. Yes, I do know that you feel like you are putting in a lot of effort. But results will take some time. The one most important thing that you have to care about right now is bringing yourself to the gym.
Don’t overthink how you perform the exercises. It will not be perfect. There might be some exercises that feel weird. It is important to just keep on going. Your body will soon get used to the new movements. Your muscles will learn how to contract properly.
Have fun. Don’t take things too seriously. Listen to your favourite motivational music. This is your ‘me’-time. Smile. Enjoy the process of becoming a better version of yourself.
AFTER THE WORKOUT
Congratulate yourself for the great job. Even though it may seem like you did not do much, praise yourself that you are sticking to your plan. Show yourself some gratitude. You are doing great and you are rocking it.
Don’t skip this step. It is much more important than you might think.
Reflect on how you feel after every workout. Do you feel like you are more awake? Are you more aware of your body? Maybe your mind is more clear? Maybe you feel like eating fruits instead of sweets? If this is the case, great! Isn’t that feeling wonderful?
If not, do not worry. Just stick to the plan, and you will soon feel those benefits.
TO SUM IT ALL UP...
Working out is the perfect antidepressant. It increases productivity. It makes you more stress resilient. And gives you a great deal of energy. I don’t have to believe in that. I know it.
This is the benefits that people who workout regularly experience. If you want to become one of these people, you now know what to do.
Building the habit of working out regularly has the power to change your life.
If you are up for the challenge, please do let me know on LinkedIn or Instagram!!! It will make my day to hear that you decided to take some action. Really!
Also reach out to me if you have any other questions, unclarities. I will be glad to give you some free advice.
And don’t forget…
“Action is the real measure of intelligence.”
- Napoleon Hill
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