Fitness and Entrepreneurial Success: How Sara Gilbert Built Resilience and Leadership

dfuzes
Jun 10
6 min read

Sara Gilbert’s journey from corporate life to entrepreneurship is a powerful testament to the importance of self-awareness, resilience, and the lessons fitness can teach us. A financial industry veteran turned business strategist and mindset coach, Sara’s story proves that growth doesn’t just come from business tactics—it comes from evolving as a person. In this blog, we’ll explore how fitness has played an instrumental role in shaping Sara’s entrepreneurial mindset, allowing her to not only transform her career but also help others redefine their own paths.

Sara speaking on personal growth and transformation—where business meets mindset.

The Power of Fitness in Building Entrepreneurial Resilience

Sara’s entrepreneurial journey wasn’t born from a traditional path. After years in the corporate world, she realized it wasn’t where she truly thrived. “In 2010, I decided I was done with corporate,” Sara explains. “I just didn’t play well in that sandbox.” Leaving her finance job, she started her own business, but it wasn’t without challenges. What set her apart was her commitment to developing a mindset that could weather any storm.

Sara emphasizes how fitness was key to this shift in mindset. “Fitness isn’t just about the body—it’s about the mind. The way you do one thing is the way you do everything,” Sara says. Her love for fitness—whether it’s deadlifting heavy weights or practicing yoga—helped her develop the resilience needed to push through tough times in business.

“Can I add another plate? Can I do one more rep? The same questions apply in business. If I can do that, what else can I do?” she says. The mental toughness required in fitness helped Sara tackle the uncertainty and risks that come with entrepreneurship. This mindset, learned through the gym, allowed Sara to push through when things got difficult.

From Lifting Weights to Lifting Your Business: How Fitness Reflects Business Strategy

Sara’s mindset about fitness can be applied directly to entrepreneurship. One of the key lessons she learned through weightlifting is that it’s not about physical strength alone—it’s about confronting your self-doubt and pushing past mental barriers. In the gym, Sara would often hear the encouragement of others to add more weight: “Put another plate on. I don’t think I can do that. But if they believe in me more than I believe in myself, then maybe I can do it.”

This experience of pushing beyond her own limits in fitness became a valuable lesson in business. Sara says, “It’s all about the self-awareness to ask myself, ‘Where else do I not believe in me?’ If I can push through in the gym, I can push through in other areas of my life.”

Pushing limits—in the gym and in life. Sara puts her mindset into motion.

This realization is at the core of Sara’s approach to business coaching. She connects the concept of pushing your limits in fitness to challenging yourself in business, teaching her clients that the mental barriers they face in one area often mirror those in others.

Self-Awareness and Self-Leadership: The Core of Fitness and Business Success

Fitness has not only built Sara’s physical strength but has also reinforced the importance of self-awareness and self-leadership—two pillars that she applies to her entrepreneurial endeavors. As she shares, “When I’m at the gym and don’t want to do one more rep, I have to ask myself where else in my life am I holding back? Where else am I playing small?”

This practice of self-inquiry has translated into Sara’s business life, where she guides her clients to become more self-aware. By being in tune with how they speak to themselves, Sara’s clients can overcome the limiting beliefs that hold them back from reaching their goals. “The way we speak to ourselves in the gym is exactly how we speak to ourselves in business,” she says. “If you’re making excuses in the gym, you’re probably making them in your business too.”

Sara’s strength starts with self-awareness—something she helps her clients cultivate.

Reframing Failure: Turning Setbacks into Learning Opportunities

Another significant lesson Sara applies from fitness to business is reframing failure. In fitness, when Sara fails to lift a weight or doesn't hit her target, she doesn’t see it as failure—she views it as a learning opportunity.

“Failure isn’t an endpoint. It’s an experience,” she says. “When we label something as failure, we close the door to growth. But when we call it an experience, we open ourselves up to learning and improvement.”

This shift in perspective has been crucial in both her personal and professional life. Instead of fearing failure, Sara embraces it, knowing it’s an inevitable part of progress—whether in fitness or business. It’s this same resilience that allows Sara to coach her clients through the inevitable setbacks they face as entrepreneurs.

Consistency and Non-Negotiables: Building a Balanced Life and Business

One of the reasons Sara is able to maintain such a high level of performance in both fitness and business is her commitment to consistency. She’s built a life that aligns with her values, setting non-negotiables that prioritize her physical and mental well-being.

“I have no meetings before 10 a.m. I have no client meetings on Mondays or Fridays. I reserve that time for my own personal activities, like rock climbing or working out,” Sara shares. By maintaining these boundaries, she ensures she stays grounded and focused, allowing her to be more effective in both her personal and professional life.

These non-negotiables allow Sara to maintain the energy and focus needed to push her business forward, just as they keep her fitness journey on track. Consistency, for her, isn’t just about showing up to the gym; it’s about showing up for yourself every day in every area of life.

Clarity, Focus, and Action: The Entrepreneurial Formula

Sara’s approach to entrepreneurship, like her approach to fitness, boils down to three key principles: clarity, focus, and action. She encourages entrepreneurs to understand their goals clearly, stay focused on what truly matters, and take consistent action toward those goals.

She explains, “What do I want? What are my biggest needle movers? What intentional action do I need to take?” By answering these questions, Sara helps entrepreneurs create a business model that aligns with their personal values, much like how she structures her fitness routines to align with her life priorities.

This clarity and focus are crucial to the success of both her clients and her own business. By staying aligned with her purpose, Sara has been able to build a thriving business while also maintaining a fulfilling personal life.

Fitness as the Foundation of Entrepreneurial Success

Sara Gilbert’s story proves that fitness isn’t just a tool for physical health—it’s a tool for building mental resilience, self-awareness, and leadership skills that translate directly into entrepreneurial success. By embracing the lessons learned in the gym, Sara has not only built a successful business but has also empowered others to do the same.

Fitness taught Sara to push through challenges, break down self-imposed limits, and remain consistent in the face of adversity. These same lessons apply to entrepreneurship, where resilience, self-awareness, and a commitment to personal growth are essential.

Sara’s journey reminds us that fitness and business growth are intertwined, and with the right mindset, both can lead to a more fulfilling and successful life.

14 Years of Daring: A Celebration of Growth and Grit

In 2024, Sara celebrated 14 years since daring to walk away from corporate life and build something entirely her own. It wasn’t easy—she had no clients, no savings, and no safety net. But what she did have was purpose, grit, and a refusal to settle for a life that didn’t feel true.

“When I first started my business, I had everything and nothing at the same time...I didn’t know how I was going to do it; I only knew I had to do it, and I had to do it my way...The business I had 14 years ago is not the same as the one I have today.The business I have today won’t be the same as the one I’ll have in 14 years.This is the beauty of evolution.”—Sara Gilbert

Lighting the way: Sara celebrates 14 years in business, and dares us all to live life on our own terms.

Sara’s story reminds us that entrepreneurship isn’t just about building a business—it’s about building yourself. Whether it’s showing up for your clients, your kids, or yourself in the gym, the foundation is the same: clarity, commitment, and courage. And one element that truly unites her amongst all the amazing entrepreneurs out there? Believing in yourself, showing up, and pushing your limits. The very foundations of Fitness.