I’m a proud P90X and P90X3 grad…though, it was several years ago and I’ve definitely lost ground.
The process, however, of going through those programs was enlightening. I was 100% committed to P90X. So much so, that I even did two-a-day workouts five-days-a-week; day six I kept it “easy” and only did one workout. I kept a strict diet; logged every piece of food. I skipped “rest weeks” and rest days.
So, picture my complete disappointment that on day 30? I had lost zero pounds.
P90X workouts call for 6-days-a-week, 60-minute sessions. And I was adding another workout in the middle of the day!
I jumped on the discussion boards and blasted my frustration.
Now imagine my surprise when the folks on the board gave me the suggestion that I was under-eating and over-working-out.
What?
We all know my attitude towards “hustle-bros” but…I thought if we just worked hard, success would magically come? And if we weren’t successful, it’s probably because we were slacking off and we needed to work harder. Work more hours! 80 hours isn’t cutting it? Work 100!
Yet these super-fit people were telling me the path to success was to rest? Recover? Refuel?
So, over the next 60 days, I ate more. I rested more. I participated in recovery weeks. And lost 30 pounds. Got into the best shape of my life.
What sorcery is this?
Could it be that the key to growth actually is rest and recovery? The fuel for growth is taking time away from the activity and putting the right things into our minds and bodies?
You see, we accept those keys for physical growth; that in order to progress forward, we have to rest, do the right kinds of workouts and eat the right kinds of food.
But for professional growth…the gurus, ninjas, rock-stars and hustle-bros would have you believe that it’s just pure hours worked. You want that new house? The 60 hours a week you’re working won’t cut it. Work 80. Want that new promotion? The 80 hours you’re working won’t cut it…work 100.
In fact, these hustle-bros will go so far as to say that if you aren’t successful the only factor is you just aren’t putting in enough hours.
The real keys to professional growth mirror physical progression: rest, recovery and ingesting the right kind of “fuel.” Reading books in and around your areas of expertise. Listening to webinars, watching documentaries. Knowledge is fuel much like the right kind of food is fuel during P90X.
But if you’re just “grinding” 80 – 100 hours a week with no rest? No chance to add fuel? No chance to reflect? You’ll be like me on day 30 and wonder “why did I just work myself so hard and achieve no results?” You will “bonk” and burnout; especially when the hustle bros tell you: you weren’t working hard enough.
We must treat our work much like athletes treat their work…they rest and recover. They hone their craft with game film review, practice and cross-training…all so they can be ready for gameday. After the game, they recover, watch game-footage, and then go back to practice. They don’t walk off the court the minute the game is over and put in another 10 hours of workouts.
Sorry, hustle-bros. Raw hours is a one-trick-pony that leads to burnout.
To everyone else…if raw hours aren’t working, the key isn’t doing more of the same. That’s insanity. Try something different.
Rest. Recover. Refuel
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