Growth vs. Comfort - What Your Workout Routine Says About Your Mindset

What does your workout routine look like?

When you go for a run, do you call it quits once you reach your predetermined distance? Or do you push yourself to go just a little bit further each time, no matter how tired you feel?

When you lift weights at the gym, do you stick to the same number of reps and the same weight every time? Or do you lift until you reach failure, and then add a few more reps after that?

Asking myself these questions has helped me realize what kind of mindset I have and allowed me to compare it to the mindset I want to have. Here at Warrior Minded, we talk a lot about growth and progress and pushing yourself past your perceived limits. Recently, I’ve been evaluating myself against these ideals. Am I fully embodying the values I preach to others?

This self-reflection has served to remind me of two things.

First, we all have good days and bad days. Some days, I feel that I do meet these metrics of performance. I’ll cruise through a run and tire myself out but still push to go an extra mile further than I’d originally planned. Other days, I find myself quitting before I even get started. I’ll talk myself into running shorter and shorter distances based on my mood and energy levels. Building consistency into my days and relying on routines helps minimize these bad days and maximize the good ones.

The second thing I’ve realized from my self-reflection is that there is always room for growth and learning. During a recent lifting session at the gym, I joined in on an arm workout with some friends. My usual practice for lifting is to do a set number of reps and only increase weight by 5-10 pounds from week to week, if at all. For this particular workout, we did not have a set number of reps. Instead, for each exercise (dumbbell curls, for instance) we selected a moderate weight and completed as many reps as possible before our arms gave out. Then, someone would step in to assist in the completion of 1-2 more reps. We repeated this two to four times, with the number of reps generally decreasing. If we were able to do more than 6-12 reps in a set, the weight was increased.

This experience at the gym was both humbling and educational. I learned a new method for structuring my lifting sessions, and I realized that I am not pushing myself hard enough when I work out alone. While not every workout needs to involve pushing your muscles to failure, it is a necessary component of growth. This realization shifted my focus to the power of the proper mindset.

While I tend to practice a growth mindset with my running, I have fallen prey to the comfort mindset in my lifting workouts. I have been choosing the status quo, the comfortable path, and then I question why my progress plateaus. When we stay within our comfort zones, growth remains out of reach. Sure, all that effort isn’t for nothing; but our efforts are rewarded ten-fold when we push the limits of that comfort zone. Since having these realizations, and seeing firsthand how mindset affects progress, I have made an impactful change in my life. I am working to consciously choose the growth mindset in every situation. I am pushing myself to try the things that make me nervous, I’m quieting the inner voice that begs for ease and comfort, and I am challenging my perceived limits.

My Challenge to You

This week, I want you to evaluate your own mindset. This can be in terms of exercise, or really any aspect of your life. Which mindset, comfort or growth, do you tend to embody? Does this align with the kind of life you want to lead? Will that mindset lead you to the goals you are pursuing? If yes - great, keep up the good work and always be looking for opportunities to further learn and grow. If not, what changes can you make to shift your mindset to one that will lead you where you want to go?