Recently, the 2019 CrossFit Open motivated me more than ever in my fitness journey. But more importantly, it motivated me in my sales journey.

The CrossFit Open is comprised of five workouts over five weeks. While the purpose of the Open is to find the fittest athletes, it’s also an opportunity for any athlete at any level to participate. It adds meaning and purpose to your training goals, while also bringing your gym’s community closer together.

I have traveled all over the country visiting CrossFit gyms, and every time I step into one, they treat me as if I’m family. They know I’m just visiting for the day, but they’re ecstatic to have me as their guest. In fact, the environment doesn’t feel all that different from an independent agency.

I’ve found that CrossFit actually has a lot in common with a career as an independent insurance agent—and could help you improve your figures at both the gym and the office. Here are three reasons why:

1) Setting goals, goals and more goals. Sure, you can do a pullup. But can you do 100 and incorporate them into the “Murph” workout, which also includes two miles of running, 200 pushups and 300 squats?

At first, this workout seems impossible. But if you’re persistent in pursuit of your goals, it gets easier over time. And once you achieve your target, you feel a sense of accomplishment. Then, it’s onto the next goal, and the next, and the next.

Similarly, in sales, you create competitive, reachable goals for yourself, which can sometimes become incredibly frustrating. Many other salespeople are usually competing for clients in any given area, and agents must possess a strong work ethic, focus and persistence in order to succeed.

2) Creating community. CrossFit brings people together who share a common goal: health and wellness. This creates internal competition to be fitter and stronger than the other members of your CrossFit community. Moral of the story? You can’t do it alone.

While the most successful salespeople are self-motivated and able to pursue their goals independently, making your numbers regularly can be challenging when you’re alone in the field. With support from management and CSRs, your stress levels will shrink and your overall happiness in the process will grow.

As you build relationships with your team, their assistance with servicing clients will help you focus on prospecting and growing the agency. Then, once you gain trust with clients through community involvement, your client base will begin to act as your exterior team, referring you to new business opportunities.

3) Rising to the challenge. CrossFit is a training program focused on the betterment of your mind, body and soul. Like working in sales, CrossFit impacts your life by challenging you every day.

Salespeople and CrossFit athletes are alike in recognizing that failure is inevitable. We must treat setbacks as minor bumps in the road rather than dead ends—and develop and maintain the resilience that’s necessary to overcome setbacks and convert prospects into clients.

Owen Thomas is an agent and senior account executive at Dial Insurance in Lumberton, North Carolina.