Is exercise important to you? Is being the best at your craft that you can a priority? I am not totally convinced that you have to be superwoman to be creative or capture stunning images. I am also not 100% sure that having abs of steel makes your business grow or your clients like you anymore than they already do. But what I can say is that although i don't think being physically active/fit is a must, it is most definitely a plus and can lead to better work habits amongst other things.
I have found that the more you put in the more you get back. This seems to be the case with physical activity and fitness. The harder and more focused your workouts or performances are the better the results. We all know that doing the work we consider valuable is incredibly satisfying and when neglected , we feel let down. The interesting thing for me is the way this relates to my creativity and work flow.
When I am on top of my expectations for my personal fitness goals , I notice my thinking and sharpness is clearer. My creative thoughts seem to flood in heavier and my willingness to execute them is much higher compared to when I'm lazy or just careless with my exercise . Having the energy to do the job at hand effectively or even the energy to maintain a good attitude while working is priceless to me. As a creative person , protecting my ability to think clear and decisive is very useful in ways unmeasurable .
How does this apply to Photography or filmmaking? The same way it applies to working in any field. Your fitness has a direct impact on how you deal with pressures in your environment and impacts the way you respond to negative or positive situations .I recently filmed a wedding this last summer and quite a few things went wrong right from the start, all the way to the end of the day. I felt my blood pressure rise and my attitude quickly went south. It was a long day and when shooting weddings the pressure is on. Slacking off for any bit of time can mean missing a crucial part of the day . So it took about 5 min for me to get a grip and work on a breathing technique that I've learned through studying Pranayama (a form of Yoga) . Pranayama is a great way to steady the oxygen flow to your brain and the results are , less anxiety and reseting your breathing to a steady, healthy pace. The day continued on and the breathing technique worked. i was ready to go.
If fitness is part of your regular routine no doubt you will reap the benefits . But as a Photographer Its easy to fall into a habit of skipping the exercise and just getting on with your work. I like to think of the long term and how sitting at desks while editing or editing at a random park bench while on the run can adversely affect my body. Holding a 5lb camera and a backpack with 30lb’s of camera gear in it and using bad posture isn't exactly the hardest work but over years and years of neglect its sure to take its toll.
So l like to be super practical and straight to the point. Get your fitness Game strong. Work on the things you know can benefit you right away and work on that. Then slowly refine your habits in exercise. Don't be lazy in your creativity and find ways to add to your performance . No doubt lifting heavy weight properly or doing your cardio routines will make you look and feel better about yourself, but it will also help you to have the sustained energy throughout your day to give it your best. I heard one of my Favorite Vloggers say, He thinks you can substitute 2 hours less sleep for one hour of working out. I must say I agree. If you have never watched a Casey Niestat Video on YouTube , do it now and you will see how he clearly relies on fitness beginning most his videos with running and a gym session.
So you may disagree, Or be doubtful. Im not trying to change your mind. I am just sharing my thoughts and experiences regarding fitness and how i apply it to my creative world.
for those of you that know you could be doing more and want to do more. i will leave you with this. Get it done. Don't wait and don't hesitate. If your waiting for the opportune time , that time is now. and if you got down and did pushups or ran around the block as soon as you read the previous sentence then you have Put your foot in the door. for those of you that have yet to
take action. Get it done
