When it comes to organizing our priorities, physical exercise is often not at the top of our lists. A fitness routine requires time and energy that most people would rather spend on reaching their professional goals. However, mounting scientific evidence has found a link between physical success and professional success. Successful entrepreneur Douglas James, known as “The High-Ticket Client Guy” for his ability to help small business land high-ticket customers, is a testament to that.
As a Navy Corpsman, marketing expert, motivational speaker, coach, husband and father, James has excelled in multiple areas of his life. His secret? Maintaining his physical health.
“Every successful person I’ve ever met in my life, no matter what their level of success is, seemed to obviously want to take care of their mind and their body,” says James. “True happiness and true success come from being a well-rounded person. You have to be mentally and physically prepared to show up for your professional goals.”
Douglas spends at least two hours every morning working on his physical health, incorporating a mix of cardiovascular training, weight training and meditation. “Having a daily rigorous routine is the backbones to everything I do for the rest of the day,” he says.
So why is that? Firstly, completing a rigorous workout requires self-discipline, commitment, time-management and perseverance, all traits necessary for professional success. A Finnish study that followed 5,000 sets of twins for 30 years found that those who were physically active earned significantly higher incomes than their inactive sibling counterparts. They determined that regular physical activity helps builds these traits, because it “make[s] people more persistent in the face of work-related difficulties, and increase[s] their desire to engage in competitive situations.”
Secondly, according to researcher Russell Clayton, exercise reduces stress and anxiety, which positively affects everything you do for the day. It also boosts productivity, as it instills a sense of accomplishment that many want to carry throughout the day.
And lastly, exercise is not just good for the body, but the mind too. Physical activity has been proven to increase focus and improve memory, which researchers attribute to increased blood flow and oxygen to the brain. And when it comes to achieving success, mental health is just as important as physical health. “In the morning when I first wake up, I meditate, I stretch and I listen to nature,”
says James. “It might sound crazy to some people, but it really works because I get into mental focus. I leave all the negativity at the door and for the rest of the day, I’m able to perform at a higher level because my body and my mind have been taken care of.”
So if you think you can’t afford to waste time at the gym, think again. You can’t afford not to.