There seems to be an ever-growing influx of ‘gym lads’ popping up left, right and centre on my Instagram feed, and although the effort is admirable, the constant reminder of ‘Oh god, I was going to start this week’ begins to get tiresome.  We’re all guilty of it:  choosing the pub over a run; ‘one more won’t hurt’ or finishing off the Bounty’s at the bottom of a celebration tin (even if you don’t like them), purely for sake of ‘they’ll only go in the bin’.  Do those harmless mistakes become the beginning of a downfall into a three stone weight gain and off putting the gym for months, or are they simply ‘a little of what you fancy does you good’? 

In truth, there’s no real answer to the above, but as much as we may be sick of hearing it, those endless pit-stained, Gymshark-tee wearing crowds may well be onto something.  Physical health is important for some plainly obvious reasons:  the risk of major illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and strokes are diminished by up to 50%, fat buildup in and among arteries decreases and the management of blood sugars and insulin levels is easier to control.   One search online and the internet can most likely tell you over a million reasons as to why we should all increase our physical activity and the benefits that working out brings. 

However, as much as doctors and online figures can preach day and night, the sluggish feeling and lack of motivation is real and felt among many of us.  Exercising can seem like the biggest chore, it can be put off by other mundane tasks and even tackling the dishwasher can often feel like a more exciting alternative.  It’s the thing we know we should all do, but there’s some invisible barrier that stops us, especially if you feel like you have a long way to go to reach your goal.  How do you turn that feeling into motivation and drive?  If you’re reasonably happy with your lifestyle and routine, why make yourself sweat and ache? 

The more research that goes into it, the more we realise that yes, exercising does wonders for our physical health, but it aids our mental health far more than we perhaps even realise.  Exercise is said to be one of the easiest ways to improve your mood and less than a decade ago, addressing mental health was unheard of.  In only a few short years, the world as we once knew it has flipped on its head and people from all walks of life are encouraged to open up and discuss what’s really going on in there.  The most successful business people rely on exercise to keep their brains in-check, and allow the benefits that exercise brings to make informed and concise decisions.  We all know it; trading is far more psychological than the world at first perceives it.  The award winning best seller ‘Trading In The Zone’ by Mark Douglas details how to master the market and opens up the conversation of achieving success in your results.

Doctors recommend half an hour a day of exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which can seem daunting in our already overwhelming lifestyles.  But not all is as scary as it seems.  Finding the time to exercise and start on the seemingly impossible fitness journey is not always that difficult.  Simple exercises such as squats can be done while you brush your teeth every morning and evening, and when you tie your laces why not do a few sit ups once you’re done?  You could slide on some wrist weights while you comb and dry your hair in the morning. 

Why is all this important?

From our experience at The Social Traders we can confidently say that 90% of trading is to do with psychology, yes that right, 90%! The other 10% focuses on your ability to analyse the market with your trading analysis. So why is this? If you have already started trading or have been trading for months already you probably would have started on a demo account before you plunged into funded live account, during the time on the demo account it it very likely you would have experience a much more relaxed, less tense version of yourself trading? I know I did, now imagine when you have access to thousands of £’s worth of capital to trade with or worse investor capital (when you’re trading other people money). Pressure can build up to the point

The Law of Attraction

Have you ever heard the phrase ‘be the best version of you’, it sounds really cliche but it is actually such a powerful statement and one we live by. If you’re constantly pushing yourself whilst being happy and in a good state mind you WILL naturally attract the right kind of people around you. Just try it, improve ever little you thing you do by 1% each day and you WILL see such a difference in the people you attract and interact with.

Aside from this, the Social Traders community is one that encourages diversity and progression.  One of the simplest forms of success is that of communication.  Think of exercising as re-doing a house – starting will be difficult, it may take a long time, it will be messy and there will be setbacks, but the end result is a new and improved you.  Naturally, you will exude confidence and be a more open, energetic version of yourself.  Exercise has proven to improve sleep schedule, accelerate your immune system and reduce the impact of stress, which strongly correlates to the traders lifestyle, especially when the markets are uncertain and occasionally volatile.  It is also proven to improve your memory and thinking, make your brain sharper and more assertive.  Our brain produces endorphins, which are created in your spinal cord, parts of your brain and your nervous system that work by blocking pain and controlling emotion.  It makes you resilient and more energetic, qualities that attract others and help to form better, longer-lasting relationships. 

The more exercise you do, the more you will most likely begin to enjoy it, and once you start to notice a difference it’ll only spur you on further.  It will improve your confidence and increase your drive to succeed.

To conclude, The Social Traders founder Max has created a The Social Run Club to turn expert traders into competitive expert runners. It is about being part of a team and helping to lessen that inevitable dread so that we can create an unfiltered, interactive community, one that proves a form of escapism from everyday stresses. 

(Side note – no judgement will incur should you choose the pub over a run on a Friday, but things can get really competitive in the The Social Run Club, you’ve been warned)

Author: Chloe-Rose Crumley