Perspective in a Gym

by Clara Grandt on January 23, 2013

Sometimes I think I know one of the biggest, but most obvious secrets to success- a will to work hard.  Since my injury this past fall, I started doing a lot of cross training in the gym and have continued to supplement my running with some cross training since then.  Runners are used to their gym being the great outdoors where hill climbing mode is built in with actual hills and accelerations occur naturally when crossing a major roadway, but I've found gyms with four walls have many things to offer as well.  One of my favorite things that the gym has to offer is people watching.  

People watching in a gym is great because you can usually get a little more insight on what type of person they are, and I have gotten to know many things about people purely by observation over time.  I've seen a lot of people get on a machine for 30 minutes and then call it a day.  I've seen some come and do a little bit of everything.  I've also seen a few that are loud and quite dramatic so that everyone knows they are at their maximum effort all the time.  Some I've seen come in groups, some alone, and then there are a few I notice that have a plan and are working toward a goal they have set for themselves.

This is the place where I get to witness firsthand and be reminded of that secret to success; it is not just the body that separates each person’s abilities to succeed at a goal, even in something as physical as working out or a specific sport.  I know that there are certain activities that are at least largely benefited by the right physical build, and I am humbled by the thought that there could be many women out there that have a body that could beat me in a race if it was based on physical build alone.  However, I know I'm built well enough for what I do, but my confidence comes from knowing I have and can develop a talent that is not so visually seen- the mental ability to work hard, developed by will, desire, and faith in my goals and dreams.  I believe this talent is often underestimated because it is not always that obviously seen.  I can look at someone and say, "They look fast" based on appearance, but I can't just look at someone and in an instant know that they will do the work to be fast.

I've enjoyed the opportunity to observe people at the gym so that I can see in others what helps them achieve more.  More than their physical build, it’s their will to work hard.  It's been a good reminder of this "secret to success" and that it needs developed as much as the body does.  The will to work hard can reveal every physical ability a person has.  This is why I believe it is best to "Never Settle."