I’ve always believed that the habits we build outside the boardroom have a direct impact on how we perform inside of it. For me, fitness and business have always gone hand in hand. What started as a commitment to personal health and athletic performance has evolved into a framework that’s shaped how I approach investing, building teams, managing time, and making decisions.

There’s something about the discipline of fitness—the early mornings, the structured plans, the mental grit—that mirrors the path of entrepreneurship. And as someone who’s worn both hats, I’ve seen firsthand how the lessons from one world feed success in the other.

Discipline Is a Daily Decision

When you’re training for something—whether it’s to hit a new personal best in the gym or just to stay consistent—you quickly learn that discipline isn’t about motivation. It’s about repetition. You show up, even when you don’t feel like it. The same principle applies in business. Founders aren’t successful because they’re always fired up; they’re successful because they show up every day and do the work.

Entrepreneurship demands consistency—long before you see results. That’s no different from training. You don’t get stronger overnight. You get stronger by showing up, again and again. That mindset, applied to a startup, is what gets you through the tough months when funding is tight or when growth stalls. It’s about staying the course.

Progress Is Found in the Margins

Fitness has taught me that small improvements over time lead to big results. It’s not about one huge workout—it’s about the thousands of little efforts: an extra rep, cleaner nutrition, better sleep. In business, it’s the same. Great companies aren’t built in a sprint. They’re the result of layered, incremental growth: improved systems, smarter hiring, better product feedback loops.

Often, it’s the 1% improvements that separate a good startup from a great one. It’s paying attention to the small details. It’s making small pivots faster than your competitors. And it’s having the patience to let that compound over time.

Mental Toughness Wins When Things Get Hard

Ask any serious athlete, and they’ll tell you: mental toughness is just as important as physical ability. It’s what gets you through the grind, the plateaus, and the setbacks. Business isn’t much different. You’ll face rejection, self-doubt, and failure. But just like in fitness, the ability to keep going—especially when things are uncomfortable—is what separates leaders from the rest.

In my experience, founders with a background in sports or fitness tend to push through challenges better. They’ve already trained their minds to handle discomfort. They know how to stay focused under pressure. And they understand that setbacks aren’t the end—they’re part of the process.

Structure Creates Freedom

One of the biggest myths in entrepreneurship is that it’s all about hustle and chaos. But the most successful founders I know have routines. They know their optimal hours, they block time for deep work, and they protect their focus. Fitness taught me that structure isn’t restrictive—it’s what enables peak performance.

Having a training plan is what allows you to progress consistently. In business, having a clear strategy and structured calendar does the same. You don’t waste energy on indecision. You reduce friction. And over time, that structure frees you to think bigger and move faster.

Accountability Is Everything

When you commit to a fitness goal, whether it’s working with a coach or training with a partner, you’re held accountable. That accountability is powerful. It pushes you when your internal motivation is low. The same goes for business. Having a team, advisors, or co-founders who keep you aligned and honest is critical.

Founders who embrace accountability perform better. They track metrics, they take ownership, and they stay transparent. That mindset—of being open to feedback and owning outcomes—is something I’ve carried from the gym into every boardroom I’ve ever sat in.

Final Thoughts

There’s a lot of noise out there about what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. But at the end of the day, it’s not magic—it’s mindset. And for me, that mindset has been forged through years of showing up for workouts, competing with myself, and learning how to embrace the process.

The parallels between fitness and business are real. Both require grit. Both reward consistency. And both, if done with intention, can push you to become the best version of yourself—not just professionally, but personally too.

So, whether you’re lifting weights, running miles, or scaling a business, remember this: it’s all training. And how you do one thing is how you do everything.