Workout Every Day in Law School: To Succeed and Survive in Law School Life
For the duration of human history, taking care of your body was as important as taking care of your mind. Take it from two dudes like Socrates and Thomas Jefferson. They weren’t stupid.
Socrates said, “no man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” Thomas Jefferson said to give two hours a day to exercise, “for health must not be sacrificed to learning.”
If these two are telling you to workout, what’s your excuse? Strong mind, strong body is a reality. The effects on mood, positivity, and wellbeing are beyond documented. I’m a hack of a lawyer and not a doctor so I’ll spare you the science. Big quote guy, though. Consider Robert H. Butler telling us “if exercise could be purchased in a pill, it would be the single most widely prescribed and beneficial medicine in the nation.”
Do you want to have better focus, be happier, be able to think more clearly, and look more attractive? Or do you aim for stupidity and mediocrity?
I don’t care what you do, just do something. Yoga. Olympic weight lifting. Boxing. CrossFit. Riding the exercise bike for twenty minutes. Jogging. Walking. Movement. Just move, and make a concerted effort to move, every day. If you’re strapped for time, or in the middle of a take-home exam, do ten sit-ups. Keep the streak alive.
Watch Admiral McRaven’s commencement speech at the University of Texas. It’s all over YouTube. He talks about how a simple habit (making your bed) gives you confidence for the rest of the day. The same principle applies. You turn yourself into a high achiever by continually knocking down goals and targets for the day. Committing to daily exercise, in any form, is essential.