Do The Work

Some days we need to be reminded that less is more and that rest and recovery are as important as work and effort.

But.

Other days we need to be reminded that doing the work is essential to accomplishing the goals because meaningful accomplishments require meaningful work.

The cliche is true: to get what you’ve always had, do what you’ve always done. But to achieve something else—something more—you need to do something else and, often, something more.

I was listening to Arnold Schwarzenegger on a podcast and he shared a story about when he was training for the My Olympia competition. He came across a particular tricep exercise he thought he should try, and he mentioned, in passing, that at the time his typical pattern was to do 40 sets of 20 reps of an exercise.

40 sets of 20 reps. That means he performed each exercise 800 times in a single training session.

That is an insane amount of work. Lightyears beyond what any of us should be doing.

But it points out a truth about how it is that Arnold Schwarzenegger became the most accomplished bodybuilder in the world. He put in the work.

Now, I’m not suggesting that any of us train our bodies at that level, nor even that we make the kind of total and complete sacrifices that kind of success requires. But I am taking a moment to remind us all that, whatever our goals,—publishing a book, losing 20 pounds, walking a marathon, growing a gorgeous garden, baking the best possible apple pie—it’s going to take work.

As Bob Bowman (Michael Phelps’ coach) puts it, “it takes what it takes.”