Good Health is the Only Thing that Matters
Being healthy is the only thing that matters. Without good health, all areas of your life suffer.
Besides health, typical life priority lists include a mishmash of family, career, relationships, faith, and purpose. After a long, arduous journey spanning many years, I've realized that health and fitness should be number one because they profoundly affect every other priority.
Family, often listed as priority number one, should be number two. It's challenging to support your family if you're not healthy. As a parent and role model to your kids, how you live your life influences them for their entire lives. Of course, being healthy means having the energy to keep up with them physically and remaining calm during the most stressful times. When you're not distracted by health concerns, you can focus on providing the care, financial support, and love a family needs.
Speaking of financial support, most people have to work for the majority of their lives. Given this massive time investment, good health means bringing your best self every day. Over the long run, this translates to building lifelong relationships with coworkers, more opportunities to advance, and an increased sense of ownership and purpose. I've solved the most demanding work challenges when feeling my best.
Feeling your best is strongly correlated with religious faith. Many feel religion provides life extension and positive mental benefits. In fact, "people who represent their relationship with God as being loving and satisfying pray more and report fewer mental health symptoms." Naturally, when you're healthy, you'll build upon that foundation. You can better serve others and develop close-knit relationships with fellow church members. Good health and faith go hand in hand.
All of these life priorities share something in common: relationships. Building close relationships is the key to a satisfying life. Being healthy provides relationship optionality. Whether through fun physical activities like sports, hiking, swimming, etc., or traveling abroad to explore new cities and cultures. Maintaining friendships takes work. Work that requires time and effort is only available with good health. Being mentally healthy means being emotionally available to friends, a crucial aspect of creating deep connections.
My Results After a Year of Change
Making health my priority #1 this past year has led me to achieve remarkable results. By focusing on health and fitness, I've lost 30 pounds, gained several pounds of muscle, and slept better than ever. I wake up most days feeling amazing - more focus, mental clarity, and purpose. I'm a better father for it, too, with more energy to keep up with a rambunctious toddler and newborn sons.
Whenever I struggle to "Stay on the Path," revisiting each life priority reminds me of what I'm gaining by sticking to my health goals. Like a roaring waterfall, the positive effects of good health and fitness cascade into all other parts of life.