There are certain situations that put me into a creative zone, ideas spinning and new connections made. As we all know, coffee shop are one of those places. The music, the scent of the coffee, the buzz of people, the buzz of caffeine! Oddly enough, working out on the elliptical is another creative spot for me. I guess it’s the oxygen to the brain? In any case, my mind races with prayers and people, blog posts, party ideas, future plans. Of course I have no way to write those ideas down! The last couple of weeks, however, I’ve been tapping into my inner John Maxwell. So here it is.
Leadership Lessons I learned in the gym
- We aren’t designed to run alone. Not too long ago David and I hit the gym an hour before it closed. It was practically empty, and I was excited to get to run on my favorite elliptical. It has a great heart monitor that never loses my heart rate (thus changing my cardio program when I’m unaware of it). After a few minutes of light runing, however, I realized that I wasn’t working very hard, and yet I felt exhausted. There was no zip, no energy, no fun. Talking about that workout later, David and i both agreed: it’s harder to work out when you feel like you are only one in the gym.
- We’re all in the same boat. Look around you next time you are in a gym. Everyone there is dong what you are: trying to hold back the hands of father time. We’re all people in varying stages and states. No one escapes the effects of life, and we all have a choice every day whether we do our part or not. In the broad scope of things, our excuses about why we can’t work out are worthless and unnecessary. We either work out and reap the benefit or we don’t and we slide slightly backwards. Time doesn’t really care about our excuses.
- Look around you. I have my best workouts on the days when there is a “pace setter” nearby. Their rhythm becomes part of my rhythm. They keep going so I keep going. In life, even more than the gym, we need to look around and find the pace setters. They are there…God puts them there.
- Look behind you; someone may be watching. In Oregon last week I was running at the gym and noticed a woman on another machine ahead of me by a couple of rows. My eyes settled on her back, and I “followed” her as I ran. She became my pace setter, which was wonderful until a girlfriend of hers came over for a friendly chat. The pace completely stopped…she became one of those recreational walkers. My pace stopped. I stumbled when my pace setter stumbled. So apply that to your own life. Sometimes you are setting the pace for others, and you have a responsibility to keep on task. Life does not stop for you to talk on the cell phone or read a magazine when you are supposed to be running the race. Keep the pace.
- Show up. Sometimes when we are beat up — by illness, or schedules, or emotions — our routine is thrown off and we skip the gym. I just came through three weeks of a crummy illness that kept me out of the gym, and after three weeks it was easy to rationalize just one more day off. But we didn’t. We showed up. And you know what? The workout was lousy. So were the next four workouts. But after that they began to get better again. Perseverance isn’t a popular virtue right now, but it is an excellent discipline. Show up for your life.
- There are no secrets in the gym. Yes, you heard me. I don’t care what kind of gym clothes you wear, if it CAN jiggle, it will. In front of everyone. But that’s ok. We’re all there to get better. In fact, the gym might be one of the few places where people can connect honestly, with out artifice. Ministry can happen there if we have the eyes to see. So don’t worry about the clothes, the look, the cut muscles strutting around you. Just be real. It’s so much easier.
- Be intentional with your iPod. It changes your whole workout. Get the wrong beat and you are sunk. In life, too, be intentional about what goes into your mind. Choosing wisely can fuel your entire perspective.
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These are good lessons. Thank you Marla.