For the past 15 years, I have made fitness part of my everyday life. But it wasn’t always that way.  I was never much of an athlete in school, but then university came along, and I decided to ‘get in shape’ by stepping into a gym—a women’s only gym. There I participated in endless cardio classes and never touched weights for fear of ‘bulking.’ Everyone has to start somewhere, right?

Many years later, after learning that lifting weights won’t make you bulky, I developed a love for strength training and decided to learn everything there was about fitness, health and nutrition. This was the catalyst for making my big switch from a career in accounting to launching my fitness company and helping others improve their own health and wellness.

I had been creating fitness programs for clients for many years when three years ago, I decided to hire a personal trainer for myself.

The setting: a CrossFit gym! For the past three years, I spent every week in the ‘box,’ privately training with my strength training coach. ‘CrossFit’ was something I had no interest in; it was just where my coach was located. As each day passed, not only did I make some pretty significant friendships with the coaches and members, but I also got to watch from the sidelines to see what this ‘WOD’—Workout of the Day—was really all about, and it started to intrigue me.

Lo and behold, here I am three years later, participating in the daily WOD and becoming an avid CrossFitter.  Through this switch, I have realized how well CrossFit complements an entrepreneurial lifestyle.

CrossFit mirrors the personalities and business goals of entrepreneurs.

Here are a few reasons why CrossFit fits for entrepreneurs:

Get in, Get out

With the workload of running a business, attending meetings, answering emails and running from here to there, the last thing you want to do is spend endless hours in the gym. CrossFit workouts are short bursts of high-intensity training, so you can get in, kick ass, and get out.  No time wasted!

Just Show Up!

As entrepreneurs, we are constantly planning our days.  We have a lot going on in our brains and the last thing we want to do is figure out an appropriate fitness routine to meet our goals.  At CrossFit, the Workout of the Day is already created for you, you just have to show up.  Every detail is planned, from the time, exercise and weight prescribed for your own physical ability.  It allows you to turn off work for one hour and focus solely on the task at hand.

Time Efficiency

Networking events are all about socializing—with a purpose. Business-minded individuals are constantly thinking of new opportunities the second we connect with individuals—and CrossFit provides a landscape to meet people from all walks of life.  I can’t tell you the number of people I have been able to connect with on a business level while we are stretching it out with sweat dripping from every part of our bodies. There is something truly bonding about sweating together!

The Proof is in the Pudding

In order to succeed as a business owner, we need to always be measuring our results.  Whether it be financial, analyzing market strategies or checking our budget, we need to ensure constant progress, and if not, we need to figure out what is going on and where we can do better.  With CrossFit, it’s very similar.  In order to succeed and see progress, we need to measure our success in the workout.  Whether it be how fast our time is or how much we lift, we have actual metrics to determine whether we are progressing or not; if we are not, then we re-assess, re-set and re-do.

Ego Check

Everyone loves a little competition, it’s what fuels our fire.  We are all trying to climb the ladder to success and it’s healthy to feel competitive. Without competition, our drive might not be as strong and we might never see our true potential as a business owner.  CrossFit is similar, and for most, you have to check your ego at the door.  I train at the top CrossFit gym in Grand Cayman, CrossFit 7 Mile, and at the end of every workout, our results are posted on the board for everyone to see and compare to.  There have been many times I have seen my name at the bottom of the pack and from my years of competing in the fitness industry, placing in the top of my division, it’s one heck of a reality check.  But no matter how much my workout sucked, there is a sense of accomplishment afterwards and always a high five to finish the class!

CrossFit ‘tends to find people that have an inner drive or have had that inner drive for a while.  People stop making excuses for why they can’t do something and find a way to try and get control of their lives.  This works the same for those willing to take control in their professional lives’, says-Chris Spigner, head trainer at CrossFit 7 Mile.

Patience, Grasshopper

Patience is the name of the game when becoming an entrepreneur.  There is no “can’t” in our vocabulary, because if there was, we would not be where we are today.  Success does not happen overnight, and it can take years for some to see their success flourish.  On the flip side, some might even experience failure, but I truly believe that there is always something good that comes from it—we learn!  In CrossFit, you learn new techniques and can practice daily, but you need patience in order to succeed.

You put the work in every day, and just like building your business, you have to stick it out to reap the rewards. We are achievers, self-starters and doers, we constantly push ourselves and the moment it gets easier or we see results, we begin to push ourselves harder.

CrossFit has been a great foundation for me to learn how to better myself across the board.  It has helped me grow both personally and professionally.  While this may not be something for everyone, at the very least, I want you to be able to walk away with the knowledge that fitness can benefit you on your path to success.

Find what works for you ,and if you are looking to get into CrossFit, search for a reputable one near you.  If you are in Grand Cayman, check out Crossfit7Mile, I can’t say enough good things about them. If you are ready to make a huge life change and improve your health, diet, and body, join my Transformation Challenge. Our next challenge starts soon!