Wellness - 2 - Foundation

As the days passed, my mind was totally occupied with thoughts of Wellness. I became quite contemplative both at home and at work.

What is the foundation for Wellness?

Once, a famous business leader was traveling abroad on a fund-raising mission for his new multi-million dollar dream project. His business group had a great pedigree of success and astounding credibility. This gentleman who was very fond of exotic food and drinks weighed over 100 kilos! 'All round personality' in a different sense!!

He met a group of venture capitalists and presented his group’s enviable financial statements—with a view to attract fresh investments. One of the well known investors asked him a very pointed question—that both embarrassed and rattled him beyond imagination.

“Gentleman, don’t you think you should be as fit as your balance sheet? We are putting our money on you, the Leader!”

The business leader was stunned at the truth in the question and the criticality of 'fitness' in his role as a corporate leader. He came back to India, worked on himself tirelessly, became fit as a fiddle and also became a marathon runner in just a couple of years. He now weighed 68 kilos with an appropriate BMI. He returned to the investor group abroad and seemed to have asked “Would you put your money on me now?” The rest, as they say, is history.

Health and Fitness are the key ingredients to success in life in general and to professional life in particular. I was wondering that if this truth is so simple, then why aren’t more professionals focusing (in action) on their own health and fitness? 

I thought of polling some people. I chose a very senior corporate professional, who was known for his busy schedule and someone who took immense pride in saying that “the best place to surely catch me is the Airport!” (He usually followed this statement with a loud laugh).

I asked him “Are you at the Airport?” He laughed aloud and said, “For a change, I am at home.”

Gosh! This triggered another barrage of thoughts in my mind on the connection between Wellness and family, work-life integration, and so on. I stopped my thoughts saying, “I will surely write about these in my future posts”.

I asked my friend about his thoughts on health and fitness, quite directly. I heard a loud pause at the other end. He said, “I know it is critical, but I am too busy to focus on it now. I join a gym every year in January, but don’t go beyond the first week, you know. As of now, I feel I am healthy and fit—just look at the kind of travel I do. Nothing seems to be wrong, after all.”

After my conversation with my friend, I recalled what I read in a book by a well known Management Guru, Stephen Covey:

“Health is in the ‘Critical and Not Urgent’ zone for many people. Most people handle something only when it comes to ‘Critical and Urgent’ zone”... How true!

I realised that ‘Health and Fitness’ are two key pillars of foundation in Wellness.

(… to be continued)