A personal trainer once told me, “Sweat is our friend.” He was right. According to the University of Nevada School of Medicine, sweat serves several important purposes. It not only helps cool the body but also maintains body temperature and clears toxins. “Working up a sweat” during a physical workout indicates that you’re making progress; good things are happening.
But our physical health isn’t the only area of life that benefits from sweat. Your level of success and achievement is driven by it. You see, the “secret” of success is no secret. Ask anyone who’s accomplished anything great. They’ll tell you that they did it as the result of one little four-letter word – WORK. If you want to do something, have something, or be something, you have to put in the work…and that means you have to sweat.
Sweat happens when you step out of your comfort zone to stretch, to try something new, different, bold, courageous, and maybe even scary. If you do something every day that makes you sweat, you’ll discover that your level of success, like your level of fitness, will improve exponentially, and you’ll find yourself performing at a higher level.
Some years ago, there was a TV commercial for an antiperspirant that hawked the tag line, “Never let them see you sweat”. It’s good advice. If you can keep cool under pressure, you’ll be ahead of the game. But just because people can’t see you sweat, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be sweating just the same.
Now, my mother would be shocked and appalled to know that I’m writing about “sweat”. She didn’t approve of the word because her generation bought into the belief that “horses sweat, men perspire, and ladies glow”. Well…sorry, Mom. It’s my belief that to live up to our potential, to make the most of our lives and work, to fully use our God-given gifts, men…and even ladies…need to sweat.
As you begin 2017, remember sweat is our friend. Do something every day that makes you sweat. You’ll be glad you did.
Copyright 2017
