Are You Fit to Lead?
The Competitive Edge of a Healthy Executive
Your body is an engineering marvel.
It’s the Mona Lisa, Davinci’s David, a Rolex Daytona 6239, and an Aston Martin DB5 (think James Bond!) all rolled into one.
And while we are living in the mind-blowing age of AI, nothing compares to the earthly intricacy, power, and potential of the human body (YOUR human body!).
N-O-T-H-I-N-G.
In fact, consider the following:
- Your body has about 60,000 miles of blood vessels—and your heart will beat about 100,000 times each day, pumping around 2,000 gallons of blood. (By way of comparison, a journey around the earth is about 25,000 miles.)
- The surface area of your skin is about 17 to 22 square feet. In any given minute, you will shed somewhere in the neighborhood of 30,000 dead cells—and your entire outer layer of skin is completely replaced every 2 to 4 weeks to keep you disease-free and performing at peak. (Swiffer anyone?)
But there’s more.
- Your lungs contain 300 million tiny air sacs called alveoli, and their total surface area is roughly the size of a tennis court!
And let’s not forget your eyes.
- Your eyes have over 2 million working parts—and all these parts work together like the London Philharmonic performing the grandest symphony ever composed. All this to say, the human body (your body!) is not only an extraordinary machine, but it may be the greatest gift that you’ve ever been given.
Now, here’s the deal.
If you take care of it, it can serve you well for an entire lifetime.
NEWSFLASH: Exercise is THE Key!
As a Leader of LIGHT (and someone who has the potential to do great good in the world!), we need you to burn this into your brain.
When it comes to keeping your body healthy, regular exercise is about as close to a magic potion as you can get.
In fact, the world’s best experts agree that if the benefits of daily exercise were captured in a pill, it would be the single most powerful intervention ever created.
So, just how powerful is daily physical activity?
Consider the following two categories.
#1 The Cognitive and Mental Health Benefits of Daily Exercise
Brain Power: Daily exercise improves memory and cognitive function. Studies show it can increase the volume of brain areas such as the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory.
Neuroprotection: Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia by roughly 50%.
Reduced Stress and Anxiety: A 10-minute walk can break down cortisol, the stress hormone, while releasing endorphins that enhance mood.
Improved Focus and Creativity: Daily movement increases blood flow to the brain and can increase alertness, focus, and mental clarity.
#2 The Physical Health Benefits of Daily Exercise
Heart Health: Brisk walking lowers high blood pressure, improves circulation, and reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Chronic Disease Management: Regular activity helps control blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and strengthening the immune system.
Weight Management & Metabolism: Moving for 30–60 minutes helps burn calories and fat, supporting weight loss and/or maintenance.
Joint and Bone Support: Walking acts as a low impact intervention that strengthens bones, reduces arthritis pain, and lubricates joints.
Better Sleep: Regular exercise can help regulate your circadian rhythm, leading to improved, more restful sleep.
How Much Exercise Do You Need to Reap the Benefits?
Great question.
According to the experts at the Mayo Clinic, to reap the significant health benefits of physical activity, you should aim for at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week (e.g., brisk walking) or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week (e.g., jogging).
Additionally, muscle-strengthening activities for all major muscle groups are recommended at least two times per week.
Said differently, to meet these thresholds, you’ll need to move somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 to 45 minutes daily.
Three Proven Ways to Make Exercise a Habit.
Habit-Builder #1: Apply the “Five-Minute Rule”:
Make the barrier to entry extremely low. Commit to exercising for just five minutes. Often, the hardest part is starting; once you start, you will likely continue.
Here’s how you can do this.
Instead of planning an hour at the gym, commit to doing just five minutes of stretching or walking, which makes the whole process far less intimidating.
Habit-Builder #2: Schedule It Like a Critical Appointment:
Treat your workout as a non-negotiable meeting with yourself and log it on your calendar. Research suggests that consistency in time and place (e.g., mornings) helps build this important habit more reliably.
Habit-Builder #3: Focus on “Social Accountability” and Joy:
Make exercise social to increase motivation. Working out with a partner, joining a group class, or scheduling a “walk and talk” meeting keeps you accountable because others are waiting on you.
Additionally, choosing activities that bring you JOY (like dancing or swimming) ensures you are more likely to stick with them.
Leading with LIGHT
As a Leader of LIGHT you are a difference maker.
You have the power to change others’ lives for the better.
But to do this, you need to keep your body strong and firing on all cylinders.
And daily exercise is the way to make this happen.
Never forget: Leaders value their health most after they lose it!
And, as someone who has worked for decades keeping high-level executives fit and healthy, once your health is gone, I can attest that every aspect of your working life is going to get much harder.
But, worse yet, all those around you are going to miss out on all the good that you could have accomplished had you made daily movement a priority!
Today, right now, make your health a priority.
Get your southern hemisphere up and out of your chair and take a walk.
Better yet, invite someone to join you.
And while you are doing it, enjoy every single second of moving the greatest gift you’ve ever been given—a healthy body.
Until next time: See LIGHT, Be LIGHT, and Spread LIGHT.
Until Next Time...
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About Lead with Light
Lead with Light is an initiative that aims to equip current and emerging leaders with a reimagined approach to servant leadership.
Our ultimate vision is to grow and develop thousands of Leaders of Light to ignite a movement to see light, be light, and spread light in ways only each can.