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As a lifelong exerciser, I know how important consistent physical activity is to one鈥檚聽health. And as a financial advisor, I see how this concept parallels the benefits of developing and committing to a聽long-term investing strategy.

I鈥檓 far from a fitness nut, but keeping physically active is a major part of what keeps me out of the doctor鈥檚 office and feeling great when I get out of bed. And it鈥檚 always been a part of my life. As a kid, I played baseball, basketball and volleyball. In college I played several intramural sports. Today, I do a lot of walking and hiking, some yoga and strength training, and a sprinkling of running.

Working out on the treadmill recently, I realized that the advice I give clients on long-term investing is a lot like the advice I鈥檇 give someone about long-term exercise. Over the years, I鈥檝e observed three main similarities:

Sometimes, it鈥檚 no fun

Everyone knows that exercise is good for you. But let鈥檚 face it, sometimes it stinks. For me, on February mornings when the alarm goes off at 5:25, my warm bed beckons me to hit the snooze button and hibernate for another hour. On those mornings, I鈥檓 not very chipper as I stumble out of bed to put on my workout gear.

But, invariably, once I鈥檓 up and moving, and my blood is pumping, I end up feeling much better than if I鈥檇 surrendered to the siren song of my cozy sheets and blankets.

You also know that being a long-term investor in stocks really stinks sometimes. Just recall the first week of this year when the聽Dow dropped 1,000 points.聽At times like this, it can be very tempting to surrender to the siren song of 鈥減laying it safe鈥� and jumping out of the market. But, like exercise, staying with it for the long haul will always pay off far more than giving up because of the short-term discomfort.

Aggressive short-term strategies often don鈥檛 work.

As a kid, I didn鈥檛 realize what a gift聽it was to聽have a young body. I could take a few months off from regular exercise and then decide I was going to get back in shape. I鈥檇 hammer it for a few months in the gym and easily get back to feeling how I wanted to feel.

Now that I鈥檓 firmly into my 40s, I鈥檝e experienced what over-exertion can do to my body, from trips to the chiropractor to months of recovery after weekend-warrior activities. I鈥檝e learned my lesson: Pacing myself is key.

Just like there are no 鈥済et fit quick鈥� schemes, there are no 鈥済et rich quick鈥� schemes for investors. I learned some hard lessons early on as investor. Thinking I was going to make a quick buck, I poured money into technology stocks late in 1999. I realized in retrospect that I was jumping in at the height of the historic tech bubble that saw the聽Nasdaq fall 78%from its peak during the聽dotcom crash.

That was short-term thinking. Instead, choose tried-and-true, long-term investing strategies so you don鈥檛 hurt yourself in the process.

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I have gravitated toward a mix of cardio exercise with yoga and some light work with free weights. This combination helps me with endurance, flexibility and strength. As a result, I鈥檓 ready for anything life throws my way, whether it鈥檚 a hiking trip with my family, playing football in the yard with my daughter on weekends, or performing in my daughter鈥檚 dance recital each year.

Similarly,聽it鈥檚 important to have a diversified investment portfolio聽that is ready for any opportunities or threats that the financial markets may throw your way. Some asset classes respond better in times of high inflation and some work well in periods of low inflation. Some investments work well when interest rates are increasing and others outperform when rates are falling. And at any one time across the globe, some countries are growing faster than others.

Mix up your investments just like you mix up your workouts so you鈥檙e prepared for any market situation.

The bottom line

What it takes to reach our fitness and investing goals is similar. We must be diligent about how we work out and how regularly we exercise. With our investing strategy, we must maintain a diverse selection of investments and a long-term perspective. This can be hard work on both accounts. And though hard work isn鈥檛 always fun, it鈥檚 rewarding. Ultimately, we must stay committed to what it takes to reach our goals 鈥� even when it stinks!

This article first appeared at NerdWallet. Learn more about Dave Rowan on NerdWallet鈥檚 鈥楢sk An Advisor.'