In this episode of The MyndStories Podcast, I got the opportunity to talk to Sheba Devaraj, a fitness instructor, nutrition specialist, and state-level powerlifting champion from Chennai. Sheba currently runs Creed, a fitness studio in Alwarpet, Chennai. And talking to her was as motivating and fascinating as I had imagined. She left me with a lot of wisdom, stories, and inspiration that I will carry for years to come.
We talked about her career switch, changing goals, how fitness helps mental health, staying consistent, and much more. Here’s some of what we talked about.
From corporate life to fitness
I started by asking her the one question I was most curious about. Sheba used to be an IT professional. So, how did her journey toward fitness begin? What made her change her path?
“There was a point in my life when I wasn’t doing well mentally. To help myself, I started running. And I realized running brought me peace. So I started participating in marathons,” says Sheba.
Sheba was also working in the IT sector at that time. I asked her what motivated her to make fitness a full-time career. “My company laid off employees, and I was one of them. I did find a new job, but it was short-term because I had realized how close running was to my heart by then. So I left my job and started taking fitness courses,” she says.
The perception of success and switching careers
When I see successful people around me, I often assume that they had this success all along, that they had a plan and a clear path they wanted to walk from the beginning. It’s hard to see that they also had a journey, a story. And so I asked Sheba if she also had a plan all along too.
Sheba gently explained that she never had a plan. “It just fell into place. I don’t know how I figured out what I wanted, but I just did. When I was studying, I wasn’t studying because I could start training people soon. I was doing it because I was interested in it. I was doing something I liked. And even after taking the courses, I was happy being a trainer. I had no plans to open my gym.”
This made me curious about how difficult it must be to make such a big career switch. “I didn’t analyze anything; not the money and not the risks. Whatever money I had, I blew it on the courses.
Making a change is certainly a risk. But if you are passionate about it, it’s a risk worth taking.”
While I may not have experienced it, I have seen how difficult it is to convince parents of a career switch. It’s even harder if the switch is to an unconventional career. I asked Sheba about her experience. “In the beginning, my mother was against it. Even now, it’s funny how my mom never tells people I’m a fitness trainer or own a gym. When people ask, she’ll just say IT. She’s still slightly embarrassed, but now she can’t hide it,” she says.
Remaining consistent
I have made a new year’s resolution every year, and every year, I break it after a few weeks. Sheba’s consistency is what brought her to this stage. But what drives her to show up consistently?
“This goes back to something that happened when I started training. I was doing sessions in a local park with minimal fees. After some time, people started coming to me and telling me how they were getting better. And I saw that my sincere work was showing results in the long term. That made me happy. Making people’s lives better and giving them what they require is what makes me show up consistently,” explains Sheba.
Managing exhaustion
Sheba believes that on days when you don’t understand when to rest and when to push through discomfort, you should look for symptoms. “Physical exhaustion is easy to figure out. For mental exhaustion, there are days I cannot push through, no matter what. And it’s usually when my mind is unrested for a long time. I start losing interest in doing anything and talking to people. Then I know I have to take a break. Mental exhaustion is something that needs to be resolved as soon as possible.”
Stress and working out
I often work out when I’m stressed. But since it is also Sheba’s profession, I was curious if training helps her deal with anxiety and mental health. And she gave me a candid answer. “For most parts. But this is my job and my passion. So sometimes even working out doesn’t give me peace.”
Setting goals
One of my biggest issues with setting goals is that I realize the gap between where I am and where I want to be is too large and overwhelming. So I take a few steps, get overwhelmed, and stop taking steps. And that’s not only me. I have seen this happen all around me. Sheba gave me much-needed advice.
“Let’s say you have a long-term goal, and you have made several short-term ones to achieve it. You have to be consistent. If you are unable to achieve a short-term goal on time, don’t stop. Don’t be too rigid with your timings. When you are too hard on yourself, you might get demotivated. Be flexible with your own goals. Celebrate when you achieve them but also be patient if you don’t”
Breaking stereotypes
Gender stereotypes hinder women’s progress everywhere. It’s more so for women who enter a field that is traditionally seen to be a man’s. I asked Sheba if she also faced it and how it affected her.
“A male trainer once told me I’d never do well in this profession because I was a woman. No women will train with me because they will be jealous of each other, and no men will train with me because they won’t find me knowledgeable enough. And I saw it happening too. I was terrified for years that maybe he was right. Maybe no one will take me seriously,” says Sheba. The realization that she had to believe in herself helped her deal with this fear. And this is what she advises other women.
“You have to believe in yourself. It’s your life. What you’ve gone through is purely personal to you. And at some point, you will realize that nobody else matters. Focus on yourself, what you want, what makes you happy, and you’ll get there.”
Listening to Sheba speak about her life and career with such passion was inspiring. You can catch the rest of the podcast here.
