3 Pieces Of Business Advice I Learned From A Body Builder

OK, so to be clear, I am not a body builder. And to be perfectly honest, I don’t know if the guy I’m talking about was either, but he sure looked like it! But what I learned by watching him reminded me of some critical basics in business that are easy for all of us to overlook.

While in the gym the other night, I was waiting to use the chest cable machine. It’s one of my least favorite things to work on (because it’s my greatest weakness) but it was part of my regimen that night. Sitting there was a guy who not only was ripped and tan, but working as hard as anyone I’ve seen on that machine. He was slowly, painfully slowly in fact, pulling and releasing these cables all while watching his massive chest flex.

So I figured, “oh, just another muscle head showing off”. However, as I sat down after him preparing to make what I anticipated to be a massive change to the weights, I was shocked at what I saw. He was using the same weight I do!! Surely this couldn’t be right. Maybe he moved it just to make the wimpy guy waiting (me) feel better, but no, it was the real deal.

I finished my workout and it finally hit me what he was doing. It’s the same thing I teach small business owners. It’s hard in the gym and in your business, but it works: repetitions. And not just any repetitions, the right ones, done the right way. Muscle man reminded me of the benefits of simple repetitions (reps) in our businesses:

1. Reps Make You Stronger

There are a lot of things in our businesses that we are not good at, but here’s the good news: we can get better. The difference is often just the commitment to working at it. Maybe it’s marketing tasks or the bookkeeping, regardless, if you do it you will get better at it. This not only makes your business better, bigger and stronger but makes you a better delegator when the time comes.

2. Reps Develop Discipline

I’ve heard it said that most of us don’t like discipline, but we like the results that come from it. Discipline in your business is developed by building systems and then working those systems hard and consistently the same way. The more reps we do a certain way (and start seeing results) the more we are inclined to stay committed to doing them. That discipline is the difference between building a business versus managing one.

3. The Right Reps Get Results

What struck me most about our muscle man friend was his attention to detail with each slow rep. Although the weight was less, he got more out of every single rep because he was doing them perfectly every time. In our businesses, it’s not just about being busy, it’s about being effective. Most likely you know what truly gets results in your business, but you simply might not be doing it. Change your reps and you will quickly change your results.

There is one thing that I do want to make clear. I’m not suggesting that we should all just work harder or fundamentally change how we work. I am suggesting that if you are looking to change your results, starting with the basics might be the best strategy. Stop worrying about how much weight you can lift and focus on how to lift it the right way. That new found leverage will help you and your business get bigger and stronger than ever before.

See you at the gym.

Brian Sharp

Brian Sharp is owner of the Go Big Company, which specializes in small business training & development. As a national, award-winning business speaker and author, Brian has the privilege of traveling the country helping companies achieve BIG results through keynote presentations, workshops, & coaching programs.