The #1 Trait That Every Person I Look Up To Shares
We all have our role models in life, and we should count ourselves lucky if we have more than a few great ones within our lifetime. Our role models shape our perspectives, behaviors, and our values.
Over the past decade, I've been careful with whom I choose to model myself after. No matter whether living or dead, there is a theme that jets out amongst many as the #1 trait that I've noticed as the common thread between all of my greatest role models.
Physical Activity.
Nearly all of the people I respect and admire, in one way or another, value in themselves the pursuit of fitness and health.
Here are 3 benefits to making physical well-being one of your highest values.
1. It invites novelty, competition, and camaraderie into life
The great thing about physical activity is that it's available in an almost incalculable variety...
Walking, biking, weight training, surfing, rock climbing, straight-up labor, water skiing, baseball, hunting, boxing, pickleball, buka ball, bull riding, free diving, etc.
The list goes on.
There is so much adventure and growth ripe for experiencing when we put ourselves out there and get active.
2. It positively affects nearly every system of the body.
When it comes to exercise, nothing comes remotely close to matching the benefits that come from consistent, long-term application.
Here is a list of some of those benefits:
Builds skeletal muscle
Improves balance, coordination, and stability
Releases endorphins
Enhances mental focus and clarity
Regulates strong emotions
Balances blood sugar
Burns excess fat
Reduces all-cause mortality
And much more
Kind of a big deal, right?
Many problems can be overcome and improved upon by exercise, not the least of which is your health.
3. It's rewarding
You are rewarded for prioritizing your physical well-being. Period.
Many rewards are measurable (ex. lower blood pressure and body fat, better performance metrics). Some, however, can't necessarily be measured (ex. greater self-confidence, less anxiety, better mental focus).
This is what makes exercise so exciting... you might not even know what exactly in your life needs improvement, but by living an active lifestyle, you may reward yourself in a way you couldn't have predicted.
Valuing physical activity is something that is passed down from person to person. We share it, and it's through this sharing that we come to love it the most.
I'll leave you with two quotes about physical well-being from some of my role models...
"Fitness is a journey everyone should start but no one should finish." - Ross Edgley
"Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity." - John F. Kennedy
Who are your role models?
Do they share the trait of valuing their physical well-being?
And maybe more importantly, who and what are you a role model for?