The Rowing Machine Exercise: a Parable for Life

As part of regular workouts, one of my personal trainers has assigned me circuits using the rowing machine. 3-5x sets of 500 meters. Pure cardio and pure physical hell. Cardio is brutal. 

So my first approach is to look at the meter and track my progress as I exercise. It’s exhausting and tough, as your brain focuses on how far you are from the goal and how behind you are. After trying this approach and getting demoralized I realized I needed a new approach. 

So I figured out it took me about 70 rows to get to 500 meters. So all I did was close my eyes and focus on getting my form right. And surprisingly I got through it pretty fast and enjoyably. Basically when I focused on the process and not the end goal, things became way more smooth and fun. 

This is why it’s a good parable of life. Goals are good but put too much focus on it and it feels harder or further away. Focusing and enjoying the inputs and the process helps you get there faster. And this way, it’s more enjoyable.