How Many Decades is Your Job Shaving Off Your Life?

From years of consulting in the fitness industry I’ve met thousands of people who’ve fallen into their own nasty trap.

I’m talking about those who demolish work all day, and then take it home and hustle late into the evening behind the ugly blue glow of a laptop. These people often find themselves brushing over all the things they know they should be doing for their health. They skip meals, survive on caffeine, blow off stress with Friday night drinks, but probably have a nice watch.

They’ve chosen to make work their absolute priority.

You may be thinking, ‘Who am I to say that’s wrong’, but time and time again I meet them, years later, when they’re suffering from self-imposed issues and regret. Unfortunately even though they’re slowly turning into kyphotic hunchbacks from leaning over a keyboard for too long, always wake tired and have lost any semblance of movement they once had, they keep on giving more and more to their job, until something falls apart.

Don’t get me wrong, they’ve probably had their ultra-inspired, though extremely inconsistent, bouts of hitting the gym and cleaning up their diet, but it’s never stuck. Not really. But I bet I know what has stuck? Putting work first.

So how does one free themselves from this trap?

I’ve noticed that those who come to truly understand that their health is more important than their job make real changes. Yep, they say no to that 6pm meeting because they’ve got a gym session at 6:30pm. Whilst those who try to make fitness fit into their lifestyle, and not vice versa, are nearly always the ones who don’t make the change, who fail.

So what’s the trigger? It’s different for everyone. It might be this blog, or a comment from someone, or perhaps their own self-awareness after upsizing their pants for the third time.

So many people are shaving decades off their lives due to their demanding work life. We get lulled into thinking that this is what it should look like. Get a good job, work hard, climb the ranks, earn enough money for a home and provide for a family. I get it, nothing’s wrong with that. But there’s something very crucial missing here: the journey doesn’t have to reap destruction on your health. That isn’t part of the formula for success. Quite the opposite actually.

Let me guess, some of you are thinking, ‘But I don’t have time to prepare healthy food or exercise!’ Okay, fine. But do you have time for a life threatening disease? Heart attack, cancer anyone? Reality is, that’s the game you’re playing. It’s called life, and it’s brutal and very real.

Don’t have time for healthy food or exercise? Fine… how about a life threatening disease?

The poor habitual choices you’re making right now may rip 20 or 30 years right out from under your feet. And even if they don’t, do you honestly think the functionality of your last 10 or so years will be of a sufficient quality? Or that you’ll enjoy them? Is that really the burden you want to pass onto your family, your ‘loved ones’? That seems very shortsighted or incredibly selfish in my opinion.

Imagine yourself on your death bed. Are you really going to say, ‘I’m so glad I sacrificed my health for that job, it was so worth it.’?

I make no apologies for my candor because I used to be exactly the person I’m describing.

So it’s my self proclaimed right to share my passionate perspective. Now I spend my days trying to build the best business I can to help people like the old me.

Think long and hard about your decision to avoid taking care of your health and fitness because the consequences are deadly real. Die happy. Be smart. Play the long game. Imagine yourself on your death bed. Are you really going to say, ‘I’m so glad I sacrificed my health for that job, it was so worth it.’? And if you’re thinking, ‘Just one more year and then I’ll take care of it’, I’d say you’re delusional, because come on, you know how to get stuff done at work, you act immediately and then manage the hell out of it until it sticks and results show. Learn how to apply this to what matters.

Earlier I mentioned each person has their own trigger. I hope this is yours.

Please share this article if it resonates with you.

The game isn’t over yet. Live long and be awesome, because you can.