The Oxford Dictionary defines fitness in two ways:
- The condition of being physically fit and healthy
- The quality of being suitable to fulfil a particular role or task
Let’s merge the two definitions into a third:
- The quality of being physically fit and healthy enough to fulfil a particular role or task
Right now, your “roles or tasks” are your life and your career.
Here are some life and career goals you might have:
- I want to be alive and healthy as my children grow up and have children of their own
- I want to be able to continually reinvent and improve myself
- I want to retain full mobility and stamina throughout my life
If you’re physically fit, it means that your body is as capable as your mind. In fact, your body IS your mind, and your mind IS your body.
So, if you keep your body in less-than-peak condition, you’re fundamentally unfit, and you’re probably fundamentally incapable of creating and fulfilling your goals.
But here’s the thing: Unless you’re an Olympic athlete or a personal trainer, fitness is not a goal, it’s a tool. It’s arguably THE most important tool in your toolbox, but a tool nonetheless.
Of course, fitness takes time, energy and motivation, and you need plenty of all three to spend on your other life goals, right? So here’s the good news:
- You don’t need “killer” abs, whatever they are.
- You don’t need to run marathons.
- You don’t need to bench-press 300lbs.
You simply need a level of fitness which allows you to achieve your primary life and career goals.
Think of a car racing analogy: The driver’s goal is to win races. The tools are the car’s speed and reliability. If those tools are optimized, and the driver knows how to use those tools to his advantage, he’ll likely win races, at least some of the time.
The driver can’t win without a fast and reliable car, and you can’t win without an optimised body.
Author: Jonny | Tweet Me