Reading an article about an up-and-coming young sportsman recently, it was clear to me that he’s dedicated his life to becoming the best.
According to his teammates, he’s “always in the gym”, “lifting for hours”, “every day”.
There’s a lot to admire. But there’s also a lot wrong with this approach.
The reason is that the science behind effective work-outs shows clearly that rest and recovery is as important to build muscle as the work out itself.
This is why a short break between sets is critical and also why there is no way you should train for hours on end, or even every single day.
Of course you have to work hard when you’re there, but if you try to do too much, you won’t build muscle. In fact, the opposite happens – you’ll simply end up breaking down your body quicker than it can repair itself.
It’s a fine balance.
I’ve recently realised there’s a phenomenon in our industry amongst elite agents and successful business owners that’s not dissimilar to the approach of top body builders.
Our top performers are dedicated. When they’re “on”, they’re completely focused on the end game.
Our top performers work hard. They’re never tempted to take the easy way and are willing to put in an extreme effort.
Our top performers are prepared to make sacrifices. They’re willing to forego short term satisfaction to achieve long term goals.
But importantly, our top performers also know about the importance of rest and regeneration, particularly in the modern world where it’s difficult to ever disconnect. They have come to understand that if they don’t rest regularly, they’ll be less effective overall and probably just burn out.
The superstars of our industry today more often than not build multiple short breaks into their planning for each year, ranging from weekends away to an average of a week or two, perhaps longer over the Christmas period.
During those breaks, they’re switched off. And so are their phones. Their only connection is with friends and family. It’s a total de-stress.
Striving to reach the top of your game is something to be admired.
Forgetting yourself on the journey is not. And just with gym workouts, time to reset for the professionals in our industry is not only recommended for success, it’s mandatory.
Are you in balance?
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