Resistance training has taught me a lot about life. There isn’t a single endeavor that has evoked a more positive impact. Sure, it has enhanced my physique and bolstered my confidence. But, that’s not the point of this article. I’m looking beyond vanity and aesthetics. Most people undoubtedly take on fitness as a means to change their bodies. The visual elements offer the most quantifiable metrics to gauge progress. However, there is a worldly application, devoid of the physical components, that will help you master yourself and your surroundings. Here are five ways that resistance training can help you do just that.

#1 Doing Hard Things

Training, when done right, is designed to challenge you with the exercises and techniques to elicit the most change. These adaptations will carry you through your daily endeavors when you face opposition, rejection, and failure. By fortifying yourself in the gym, you are building resilience to the stressors of work deadlines, personal finance, and family drama. You will establish your emotional capacity as a byproduct of your training. What’s more, you will begin to seek out challenges. That’s where growth happens. You will have an easier time controlling your inputs and outputs. While your peers seek comfort in convenience, you’ll pursue tasks to elevate your being.

#2 Growth and Development

Training is fuel to the proverbial engine. It shapes your ideologies about progress and a sense of achievement. Without progress, you’ll be reluctant to persevere. Hence the reason why lifters are consistent with the craft. It brings them obstacles to overcome and barriers to break through. You can approach your professional situations with a similar feeling of rigor and performance orientation. You’ll value yourself with a higher standard that will promote your development.

#3 Mood Booster

Studies show that resistance training is a natural mood enhancer. Happy people are more likely to exhibit propitious, optimistic, and productive behaviors in the workplace. Who wouldn’t want that?! I can’t promise it will transform Ebeneezer Scrooge into Spongebob Squarepants, but it’s a damn good substitute for being an insufferable curmudgeon. Further, regular exercise can curb low-to-moderates forms of anxiety and depression; we’re starting to see practitioners prescribe resistance training in the place of pharmaceuticals.

#4 Goal-Setting

Setting goals is a quintessential part of the human experience. It’s how we innovate and execute in our industry. Resistance training is a catalyst for this process because it demonstrates a blueprint for achievement. Although the steps are different, the habits that lead you there are the same. For example, let’s compare a 225lb bench press goal to the demands of a new job promotion. You’ll start with deliberate practice. Like any skill, training regularly with progressive overload will improve your strength over time. Job promotions require a similar approach. By acquiring the requisite work aptitudes, you’ll enhance your value. You can then parlay your increased value into a raise! You’ll find that goal-setting isn’t context-dependent. That is, the methods for achievement remain consistent across myriad personal and professional pursuits.

#5 Compound Interest

Perhaps a widely known concept in investment circles, compound interest illustrates the power of small, gradual changes. There is no better teacher than the gym. I like to equate training to your daily deposit. An investment in your health that will start small. But, like any brokerage account, you’ll gain some equity after a few months. Continue investing for years and see that initial investment grow with a sizeable return! That’s the beauty of compound interest. It takes patience and ruthless consistency, as do all long-term investments. Think about it like this: by focusing on the long game, you’ll avoid the gimmicky fads just as you would with a highly volatile stock. Instead, you pick the safer option index fund that won’t get you rich quickly but will yield consistent returns.

Final Word

People who have devoted ten-plus years to resistance training will tell you that it’s what they’ve always done. That is, it’s part of their lifestyle. It’s as much a ritual as the sprint to the bathroom after a morning coffee. They commit to themselves and their continued development. They are happier and live life with gratitude and deep appreciation. If you already have a training routine, I send you my praises. And if you’re not there yet, jump in the water’s warm!

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