The benefits of working out are well known. If you can stick to a strong fitness habit, be mindful day to day and eat well, you’ll feel better, work better and live better.

You’ll also develop a sense of discipline. How? Think about the major tasks you must do to be successful in your workout.

Setting goals
The drive to get physically fit always starts with a goal: “I want to run a 5k.” “I want to be able to do 10 pull-ups.” “I want to feel more confident in my body.”

The act of setting a goal allows you to visualize where you want to go, meaning you’ll be better able to plan how you can work towards achieving it.

Being focused
Once you’ve set a goal, great focus is required to accomplish it. You’ve got to organize yourself and your time to get to the gym, as well as focus on each rep.

Practicing focus in your workout regime will prepare you to apply that same focus to the rest of your life, whether it’s working through a big project in your job or spending uninterrupted time with your family.

Measuring results
Inevitably, the road towards your goal will feel longer and harder than you imagined it would. That’s as true in fitness as it is in your personal life.

To keep pushing through, you’ll need to track your progress. That requires measuring and celebrating your results. When you can see the results for yourself, you’ll be motivated to continue.

Overcoming obstacles
Even when you have a structured plan towards a concrete fitness goal with measurable results, you’re bound to encounter obstacles like the dreaded plateau.

To overcome it, you mix things up. Eventually, you are rewarded with continued progress.

Practicing that same perseverance will prove to be invaluable in the rest of your life as you’ll be better prepared to approach and overcome day-to-day challenges.

Showing up, everyday
Above all else, your workout requires you to show up and put in effort. The same goes for everything else you do. It’ll be difficult to see tangible results when you’re not present and committed.

Takeaway: develop your discipline
From setting goals to arriving everyday ready to go, your workout is a great opportunity to build your sense of discipline. It’s an everyday way to practice important skills and traits that tie directly into achieving success in the rest of your life, without it feeling like a chore.

After all, as famed entrepreneur Jim Rohn said, “discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”