5 Important Life Lessons I Learned From 6 Years of Regular Exercise.

Life is more complicated than simply true or false statements.

While exercising the other day, I had an epiphany that my daily workouts have made me wise. The relentless pursuit of a better physique has taught me a thing or two about life.

So, in this piece, I want to share some wisdom that I learned through seeking a better physique.

Do the work, but don’t worry about the result

I wanted to be healthy and look good only in the first 12 weeks of exercising. I was desperate for results. I was a slim guy with slimmer self-esteem. I had seen multiple 3-months transformation videos, and I naively believed they were true.

However, multiple 12 weeks went by, and I did not see the results. I still remember squeezing my tiny arm every other week in front of the bathroom mirror to reveal any hints of muscle that I had. Despite the roadblock, I remained patient.

In the end, I am glad I did not quit. It took longer than I initially expected. But, I finally have a body that I wished to achieve in the first three months.

These days, I separate 12 weeks for anything I want to accomplish. If I want to learn how to write, I give myself 12 weeks. If I don’t achieve what I want by then, I give myself another 12 weeks until I get it.

I have learned that the goal we desire is not as straightforward to reach as we might believe. Focusing on the unachievable outcome can be disheartening for anyone. Therefore, enjoy your work — 12 weeks at a time.

There are no failures, only lessons learned

As I came close to 400 lbs in my deadlift, my lower back was sore more than other muscles. I realized I was doing something wrong. I pulled up the same video I have watched hundreds of times: the five-step deadlift process by Alan Thrall.

I have been deadlifting all my fitness career. However, after six years of consistent lifting, I still have to check if I am doing it correctly.

We have a binary way of perceiving success and failure — either we achieve or don’t. As it turns out, life is more complicated than simply true or false statements.

After watching the same deadlift 101 videos for the hundredth time, I have learned that we have to keep learning. We fail until we win, and then we fail again. Success is not an endpoint, and neither is a failure.

There are multiple correct ways to do any task, and there are countless wrong ways. It takes a lot of time to weed out all the incorrect approaches until we get the right ones.

We label unsuccessful approaches as failures. Instead, we should name them lessons.

Don’t compare yourself to others

I see that many beginner gym-goers start at different levels. Some begin by doing air squats, some start with an empty bar, while others initiate their journey with 135 lbs on their back. Some are inherently stronger than others. Two friends can go to the same gym but have different results in the same period.

It is pretty similar in our lives as well. We all start on different levels in life. Some have massive student loans to pay off, while others complete their education with a full-ride scholarship. Some inherit homes from their parents, while others struggle for a long time to save up for the down payment.

Realizing we all start at different points in our journey has made all the difference in my life. It has made me patient when I fail repeatedly.

You will always find time for something you truly desire

In March of 2020, when all the gyms closed, I exercised in my kitchen. When I couldn’t go to the gym because of my final exam, I did push up on the floor. The point is that I have always been consistent with my training. I have always managed to find the time for it.

If I sense that I never have time for a task, it must be because I am not interested in it. Although simple, this lesson has taught me ways to look inside myself to find what I want.

“I don’t have time” mostly translates to “I am not interested.”

No matter how difficult the session is, it eventually ends

I have been nervous during a training sessions. Sometimes, I want to cry on a leg day. Yet, I keep going. No matter how tough the hour seems, I will be walking out the door very soon.

Other times, I enjoy the workout so much that I lose track of time.

In both cases, I know my time eventually ends, just like everything else. So, why not enjoy the work while we are here?

I understand it is grim to talk about death. But, it is the only aspect that is guaranteed in life. So, let's try to enjoy what we have.

If we think about it, we can learn lessons from everything we do. It is just a matter of opening our eyes.

Oftentimes, the result takes too long and we just have to keep up the grind. Other times, we get disheartened by failures or we start comparing ourselves to others. Whatever the case, I hope these lessons give you some new perspectives.

What are some things that you have learned in your life that people rarely talk about?