How Bodybuilding Shaped My Work Ethic

Bodybuilding is the most narcissistic, self-absorbed ‘sport’ ever conceived.

I can offer that critique as a former competitor, promoter of numerous state bodybuilding championships, emcee of the Mr. & Ms. Universe competition, and color analyst for ESPN’s bodybuilding coverage. (All of these things took place before Bill Clinton was sworn in, but my opinion has not changed much over the years.)

That being said, I owe a great deal of my own work ethic to the principles I learned while involved in bodybuilding during my early adulthood while I was launching my career as an educator, speaker, and author. Regardless of your regard for bodybuilding, it’s hard to discount the work ethic that underlies this controversial pursuit. Unlike most athletic endeavors, you can’t be successful in bodybuilding until you go “all in” 24/7 and 365. Everything you do, everything you put in your mouth, every thought you allow into your head dramatically affects your outcome. And when the outcome results in standing alone on stage in your underwear in front of hundreds of people, …well, your preparation is truly exposed.

So how do the core values of work ethic apply?

For starters, bodybuilding instills positivity. No bodybuilder ever lifts a weight without believing with every ounce of their being that the hard work and sacrifice they’re going through is going to lead to the results they’re envisioning. Every bodybuilder must learn how to talk themselves through adversity and maintain an enthusiastic ‘can-do’ attitude.

Secondly, bodybuilding instills reliability. You can’t succeed in this sport without consistently handling your training, diet, and sleeping patterns on a strict schedule. Most bodybuilders train with a partner, and you won’t keep one long if you arrive late to the gym or try to end a workout prematurely.

However, the core work ethic value that separates the champs from the chumps is initiative.  A bodybuilder has to push beyond discomfort, past the pain barrier, and do more than they did the previous day in order to force a muscle to grow. If they only lift the weight they are comfortable with, their body will not improve.

The foundational principles of work ethic are learned and reinforced within us at home, at school, in our jobs, and yes, even in our recreational pursuits.  These values are honed over time and through rigorous sustained effort and daily discipline.

Although he was supportive, my dad wasn’t thrilled when I told him I was competing in the Mr. Colorado competition. But given a choice, I’m sure he’d have preferred I spend my time in a gym than he would have to me sitting on a sofa practicing for the World of Warcraft video game championships.

What did your recreational pursuits teach you about work ethic?