Exercise With Value
When you read through the testimonials earlier in the chapter you'll see there is some commonality among each of them. It's not so much the fact that they like the physical act of exercise, rather the value it brings to their lives. It was the value they saw in exercise that allowed them to overcome the boredom. They've been able to experience the joy that exercise brings, not only in their lives, but also the lives of those around them. In addition, these people didn't look only at the immediate appeal exercise brings, such as weight loss, self-confidence, or better muscle tone; but how it will effect their longevity, that is their ability to keep up as they get older. This is especially true if they have young kids. Keeping up with them as they get older is important and perceived as valuable. For some, exercise is important because they see it as a means to continue enjoying the same recreational activities later in life that they enjoy now.
When I asked, "Do you enjoy exercise?" and most of them answered "yes," it wasn't for the sheer love of sweat and hard work, but the value they new it would bring. Dr. Martin Luther King once said, "The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important." You need to look beyond the short-term discomfort and see the lasting joy and quality it can bring to your life. The people I interviewed see that value.
For the remainder of this chapter, I would like to help you find a way to enjoy exercise immediately, so that you can stick with it and become one who finds exercise truly enjoyable long-term as well.
We will look at some ways to figure out what type of exercise you enjoy, how to make traditional exercise more interesting and how you can turn your normal day-to-day activities into meaningful exercise.
