Ep. 21 - A healthy mind, in a healthy body [2 / 5]

Over the next five weeks I’ll be doing something a little different. I'm shifting away from the quick, actionable posts to more robust and philosophical articles. The reason behind this pivot is two-fold. First, I don't think there is enough content covering the interconnectedness of work, life, and hereditary adaptations. Second, the actionable lists, motivational posts, and general 'get it done' attitude conveyed in many of my posts doesn't work for all. For some it's daunting and frustrating. So, with that being said it's my goal to shed more light on why I hold such strong beliefs in many aspects of work, and life. This stems from much of the reading I've done on stoicism, history, and the human body. As for the title, well, in order to succeed in anything life has to offer, a healthy mind and a healthy body is crucial.  

We've all heard that exercise is important. As a society we understand what's at stake. Collectively, the general population understands the need for daily activity.

However, our world continues to gain weight. The minimums of 30 minutes per day of physical activity are rarely met over an entire week. Why is this? We can't play ignorance. We can't blame education - the information is there if we seek it. We can't blame time, because everyone has enough. So what's holding us back?

As I will explain below, exercising, or general physical movement, is the cornerstone to entrepreneurship and/or a successful career.

Strong body, strong mind

I'll hire an ex-athlete, ironman competitor, ultra-marathon runner, or someone who consistently pushes their body over anyone else. The main reason? They're resilient. They're Antifragile. They've dealt with failure, they know what pain is, they understand that hard things need to be completed, and they have the stamina for an intense position. Plus, they're usually happier. Win, win.

Chronic stress is one of the leading killers in North America. When a stressful event presents itself (volatility in the markets, a lost sale, etc.) cortisol is released. Cortisol was great thousands of years ago when our threats were often physical. However, it's inhibiting in modern society when our threats are often social and cultural. Prolonged stress responses, as opposed to acute stress responses, are damaging to our health and have led to a sick society. It goes something like this:

Stressful event 'XYZ' occurs at work. Our stress response kicks into gear. Cortisol is released. Blood is shunted away from the digestive tract, the immune system (which is working overdrive during the first bit of stress response) begins to weaken, and growth hormone has been suppressed, as have the reproductive tract and the production of testosterone. All of this is then magnified by the fact that elevated cortisol levels reduce sleep time, thereby depriving people of the most important piece of their physical and mental well-being. And this isn't even the scariest part of elevated stress. This stress leads to high blood-pressure, blocking of arteries, and muscles that are broken down for nutrients. The end result? We end up looking like Mr. Potato Head with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and chronic fatigue. This is the definition of a negative flywheel in action.

If our bodies are fighting such a ferocious fight, how do we expect them to lead us to our goals? Simple answer, we can't. Chronic stress will wear everyone out eventually. So, how does this all tie back to exercise?

Exercise is an outlet for the cortisol that is released. We can channel that fight or flight energy into our workouts. Daily exercise is also proven to increase REM and deep sleep. Exercise produces growth hormone, specifically testosterone, which has been lacking during this trying time. And this, right here, is the difference between chronic and acute stress, where we'll go to next.

Acute > chronic

When people aim to live a stress free life I can't help but laugh. Stressors are needed, and stressors are beautiful things when used appropriately. Acute stress is working out extremely hard for one hour and then resting, and repeating this the following day. Acute stress is working diligently on a project for weeks, prepping for a big pitch, or focusing on that product launch, and then resting for a week. Allowing your body and mind to flow through these peaks and valleys is crucial.

This is why I don't believe in 'balance'. Why would we want to live a balanced life? Balance can mean living in this perpetuation of stress. This perpetuation of, 'this is fine'. Rather, I look at life, and work, in seasons. There will be a season of pain and suffering, there will be a season of relentless work, but there will also be a season of joy and relaxation. Be gracious with yourself, and know that when chasing audacious goals we will miss dinners at home, we will have late nights and early mornings, but it will pay-off.

However, we must rest. We must end the cycle of chronic stress through the strategic implementation of acute stress (i.e., exercise). Minor stressors over the course of your life create resiliency. Major and chronic stressors create depression, anxiety, and obesity.

A great analogy for this is the economy. The economy has been under chronic stress since 2008 when Alan Greenspan (Former Chair of the Federal Reserve) stated that business cycles would come to an end. In short, through quantitative easing (pumping the economy full of money), and low interest rates (fuelling spending), booms and busts would no longer occur. However, this is the definition of chronic stress. Now, 13 years later we find ourselves trillions of dollars in debt, inflationary pressure continually on the rise, and frankly, a propped-up economy. If the pent up stress of the economy were to bust, it would be the greatest recession we've every witnessed, similar to your body finally providing the final signal of chronic stress (heart attack, stroke). Rather, we should welcome minor stressors (i.e, pull-backs and recessions in the market). These create a healthy and thriving economy. These ensure that bad companies die instead of receiving bailouts. Minor stressors lead to a stronger individual, and economy.

The philosophy of physical activity

We only have one body, and we should be thankful for it. Our freedom to move our body is a privilege. It's a gift. We weren't designed to sit at our desk all day and type. We were designed to move freely. We were designed to do hard things. But the issue is, life is too easy right now. We need to actively seek out the hard.

That is my challenge for you this week: Seek the hard.

Run 10km. Lift heavy weights. Go for a bike ride. Play tennis. It may be hard at first, and you may be sore the next day, but trust me - you won't die.

In careers, entrepreneurship, and life there will be obstacles and major events that knock us off course. Exercise trains our mind and body to be resilient. Exercise is the outlet needed during these dark times. Exercise allows us to see the light.

Physical movement allows us a healthy mind, in a healthy body.