Are You Making Choices That Bring Focused Results?

There was a lot of interest and feedback on my last blog Be Empowered by Choosing a Growth Mindset which dealt with my internal struggles around my commitment to working out.  So, I thought it might be fun to share with you some stories of the people that I see at the gym nearly every time I go. I call them my workout buddies. It’s not surprising that organizations find some of these very people showing up for work on their teams, too.  As I have worked with team members to help them reach their full potential, I have encountered many of these individuals taking the same approach with their career as they do the gym.

First, there’s Mr. and Ms. “Show Up” who have obviously decided that by just showing up, magically through osmosis, they will get the needed workout.  They are usually so busy just being there, they have little time to focus on working out.  Frequently they will be seen taking selfies, you know, just to show that they were actually there.

And I can always rely on Mr. and Ms. “Multitasker” to be present.  They love to get on the stationary bicycle because it helps them multitask even more.  They have on their earphones listening to something on the gym TV, while simultaneously viewing their iPad.  All of this busyness leads to very little sweat or elevated heart rate.

Now, I love to see Mr. and Ms. “Social Butterfly” work the room, although I always duck, hide or look the other way, because if I give them just a slight glance, they are assuming I might want to hear about their week, their family, their plans, their sore knee, their workout plans, their…… Social Butterflies are there to connect, but their heart rate only rises when they get out of breath from talking.

It’s also fun to see Mr. and Ms. “Type A” show up.  I love to watch the clock as they hurriedly scamper to their treadmill or bike or weights.  Everything happens at supersonic speed for about 12-to-18 minutes, depending on how busy they are that day of course, and do not get between them and the gym door.  They are out of there as fast as they came in.

Mr. and Ms. “Status Quo” usually hang around the same spot they are always in every morning.  They are usually doing the exact same exercise at the exact same pace that they did the day before.  They never modify their routine because they are comfortable and it seems to be working for them. But, they never progress or digress, they just stay the same.

Lately, I have begun to notice a new group, Mr. and Ms. “Haphazard”. They come in with absolutely no plan and do something different every day without any order or method to their madness.  They are not sure what muscle group they are working on, and it really doesn’t matter, because it is something new the very next day.

Of course, you know who my favorite gym buddies are, Mr. and Ms. “Focus.” They come in with a plan, they are highly focused on their workout and you can see the progress they make in a short period of time.  The power of focus allows them to complete an intense workout in a short period of time and the overall plan provides them with real gains in the areas where they are focused.  I always learn something new from these gym buddies.

People join a gym, group, or professional organization for different reasons.  It could simply be for camaraderie, social or networking purposes.  To others, it is a learning and growth opportunity stimulated by encouragement and inspiration.  For others, it is driven by a focused mindset to become a better version of oneself — essentially going from good to great physically, mentally, spiritually, and professionally. Regardless of the reason, each person will experience differing results or outcomes based on their choices and approach to the task.

We often make similar career choices when working to realize our full potential.  Are you making choices that limit your progress or choices that bring focused results?  Beware of mimicking some of my gym buddies as it will result in less than stellar results.

Which gym buddy did you mimic this week?