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The Twelve Principles of Personal
Leadership
Principle #3 –
Maintaining Your Health – Part 1
-One Leader’s Perspective
By Greg Thomas
How has your health been lately? What is your attitude about your health
and what does it have to do with leadership? We will discuss this third vital
principle of personal leadership in this article. Actually, what you think
about your health reveals a lot about your leadership perspective! Some folks
take their health for granted and think that they have little control over it.
They believe there is a cosmic clock that is ticking and “when your time is up”
you die. They look at their time on earth as limited to a pre-set destiny and
when our time is up… it’s up. Others believe that they have a certain amount of
control in their hands over their health and have the ability to delay serious
health issues. Which one is correct? It all boils down to your locus of control and this will tell you
a lot about yourself.
Your locus of control is a “personality
orientation” originally developed by Julian Rotter in
the 1960’s. Depending on whether we have a strong internal or external orientation
tells us a lot about ourselves and may affect the way we view our health. Those
who test and show a strong internal
orientation tend to believe that life and its various events are determined
more by our own actions rather than by uncontrollable forces or chance. This is
an admirable quality in a manager or leader. They think that what they do (or
don’t do) can make a difference in the workplace or the world. They don’t view
themselves as victims and tend to be more future-orientated. Folks with strong
“internals” also feel confident that they have the power to influence others.
When problems arise they respond with innovation, flexibility and are less resistant to change in life.
Individuals with
a strong external orientation believe that they have little opportunity to
improve their lives. They tend to think that fate or chance mostly determines
what happens in life. This is not an admirable trait in a manager or leader.
These strong “externals” guide one to accept that much in life is out of their
control! They tend to accept victimization as a way of life, and lack
aggressive goals because really achieving them is felt to be “outside” of their
control. They often feel that whatever they do (or don’t do) doesn’t really
matter or make a difference. When problems arise they typically don’t respond
quickly or effectively and they are highly resistant to change.
Think about your
personal locus of control and how
this may influence your approach to health. Do you believe that what you do
in your lifestyle and eating habits does affect your quality of life? Do you
think that having a positive outlook on life and your role in the world does
influence your physical health and well-being? If you do, you have the right
perspective and attitude about your health as a 21st century leader!
For a moment, just consider the thousands of talented individuals who worked
hard for 20 or 30 years to grow to the top of their chosen professions only to
lose it all because of destructive lifestyle habits or addictions. Yes, in
understanding our health there are things we have limited control over, and things we have a large amount of control over.
One area where we
have limited control is our genetic make-up or DNA. We are all the product of
thousands of years of genetic mixture that makes us both truly unique and prone
to physical strengths and weaknesses. Research is revealing that many health
problems are common within families and the tendency or trait
to have specific diseases are often inherited. Our own particular DNA
can be both good and bad depending on the genetic tendencies. It is bad if it
is a specific disease we may inherit. It can be good if it is longevity. Many
have jokingly remarked about how Winston Churchill smoked five cigars, and
drank a quart of brandy each day. Yet he lived to be age 91! In his case the
fact that some of his ancestors lived to a ripe old age worked in his
favor. On the other hand, Winston’s
father, Lord Randolph was also a talented man and a Member of Parliament yet he
squandered his life and died at age 46 reputedly from the ravages of a venereal
disease.
But the thing to consider is that even within our genetic make-up we do
have some flexibility and control. For example, I know that my father and all
his siblings died of various forms of cancer. This can alert me to the need for
careful annual physicals and attention to anything unusual going on in my body.
Some died of cancers due to the habit of smoking and this can remind me of the
fact that I should not even consider
smoking since it has proven to shorten the lifespan of many individuals. Folks
that have a family history of diabetes or high blood pressure can take steps to
improve their health by noticing early warning signs and taking medication.
Understanding our genetic family tree can help us to be on guard for potential
diseases and take aggressive action when detected early.
One area in which
we can have enormous control over our health is in monitoring our daily
lifestyle. The facts are clear… what we eat, and how much we eat can have a
significant impact on chronic disease and quality of life. Along with this, we
should be concerned with exercise, and possessing a positive mental outlook
toward life. These are all areas in which we can have significant control and
influence, but they take effort and commitment. Again, this goes back to our
personal locus of control. If our personality has a strong internal orientation
we will tend to make changes and be pro-active toward our health. If we have a
strong external orientation, we will allow “time and chance” to control us and
our future. What a tragedy to work so hard at the first two principles
we have discussed only to let it all slip away due to negligence. We may work
very hard to develop and seek the right visionary goals. We may spend years
growing in a continuous and complete education to prepare for leadership.
However, if we take for granted or abuse our body the result will be poor
health. It is hard to lead when your
mind is distracted with constant pain, anxiety or a lack of energy.
For the rest of
this article I will discuss the importance of exercise. In part 2, I will
discuss other important lifestyle habits that lead to good health. Perhaps the
greatest change that has occurred in the modern history of mankind in our
western world is the lack of activity. For thousands of years, exercise was a
normal part of daily living. Activities such as farming, making crafts, or
building were hard work and resulted in exertion, strengthening of muscles and
cardio-vascular exercise. However, the latter
part of the 20th century brought about a whole new lifestyle for
millions of individuals. It was the result of new career roles including
managers, supervisors and parts of the service industry. Now many workers were
given the sedentary work of analyzing and monitoring various activities, often
from a desk and in front of a computer screen. The activity that our bodies
were designed for to maintain strength through vigorous work and movement was
displaced. The result is a slow but insidious deterioration of our health.
Exercise properly
stresses and tones our body so it can maximize its potential. We are not talking about lifting massive
weights or “bulking up” on protein powders. We are talking about a regular exercise routine that pushes our
heart, lungs, circulatory system and major muscle groups in order to strengthen
them. Once you begin you will notice a marked improvement in your energy level
and alertness through the day. The benefits of exercise are both short-term and
may even extend your quality of life. Many excellent books have been
written about the benefits of exercise and various types of exercises. It is
not my goal to provide these details, but to convince you why exercise should be important to you!
There are many excuses we don’t exercise regularly. See if any of these
seven reasons are ones you have used…
Excuse #1 – “Exercise is boring”. If you are
doing the same repetitious exercises day after day, of course it's boring!
There's a superior alternative to doing the old fashioned sit-up, jumping jack
routine. It's called "cross-training". Cross-training involves mixing
and matching two or more various activities. It will help you to not only avoid
boredom, but to also gain a more balanced level of fitness. Visit your local
library or, bookstore and borrow a "how-to" book on this subject. The
best exercise routine is one that mixes
strength training with cardio-vascular exercise.
Excuse #2 – “I don't have enough time”. This
is a pretty lame excuse. I seem to find enough time to relax or perform other
activities which I enjoy. The average American spends over 33 hours a week
watching television. To have a healthy body only requires about 60 minutes of
exercise 4 or 5 days a week. First, get your doctor’s approval that you are
able to physically stress your body through an exercise program. Then start
slowly… you can begin to condition your body with only three 30 minute sessions
of aerobic exercise per week. I am talking about low-impact exercising like
swimming, walking or cycling. Then you can grow
into a more complex program to meet your needs.
Excuse #3 – “Exercising is expensive”. Yes,
exercise can be expensive but it doesn't have to be. You don't need to join a
health club or fitness facility to get in shape or stay in peak physical
condition. You can purchase a piece of home exercise equipment for less than a one year’s membership to
many health clubs. For even less money, you may be able to find that your local
community has a "recreation" center which offers a variety of
programs for a small fee. Of course, don't forget that many types of exercise
can be performed in the privacy of your own home without any cost. Because of
competition the cost of in-home exercise equipment has declined in recent
years. Some equipment can include items as simple as a floor mat, chair or a
jump rope.
Excuse #4 – “I'm not in the mood”. This is
the classic excuse not to do anything
we desire to put off until another time. This is really a lack of
self-discipline. Use some of the ideas we learned in leadership principle #1 of
this series! Set a realistic goal for yourself with short-term steps for
achievement. Keep track of your progress and remember to reward yourself for
being consistent and committed to a program. During the earliest stages of your
program it's important to give yourself a lot of encouragement and incentive.
Treat yourself to some new (smaller) clothing, or a night at the movies for
exercising regularly. This could be the difference between establishing a short
fad or a permanent lifestyle change.
Excuse #5 – “I Travel Too Often!” This is one
of my favorites because I do travel quite often. I'm usually at a different
hotel or city and it's hard to establish an exercise routine. Pretty good
reasoning, isn't it? Well, not really. Many hotels offer pools or exercise
facilities and you can ask before you make a reservation. And even if they
don't, a simple hotel room has enough space to perform a group of balanced
aerobic exercises. In my travel bag I keep a small stretchable cord-set manufactured
by a company called Bally that offers over 10 different exercises. After a
day’s work why not put on some walking shoes and take
a brisk two or three mile walk? Travel is not a valid excuse. As a matter of
fact, the sedentary life usually associated with travel is all the more reason to get a good workout while
on the road.
Excuse #6 – “I need a partner to be
motivated”. There's no doubt that getting in shape with a friend can be a great
motivator. Your friend can push or encourage you to workout even when you don't
feel like it. But don't forget about other group activities. Many shopping
malls have "walking clubs" you can join. Your community probably has
an aerobics class you can join, and if you can afford it, acquire the services
of a personal trainer at a health club or "rec"
center. Group activities can be as fun as training with only one partner. As an
alternative you can turn on an interesting TV program or peppy music as you
exercise. I do this as I walk on my home treadmill and it does seem to make
time go more quickly. Remember that to be successful at any endeavor requires
dedication and commitment.
Excuse #7 – “My grandfather never exercised lived until age 97”.
This line of reasoning states that since my grandfather never exercised a day
in his life and lived to a ripe old age, so will I. The odds of this happening
are actually quite small because our grandparents had a different set of genes
and hereditary traits than we do. As a matter of fact, we have only inherited
about 1/4 of any one of our grandparents’ genetic characteristics, and only
about half of any one of our parents. On top of this our stressful lifestyles
are different and more demanding than
what our grandparents experienced. Add to this a more polluted planet and
greater food additives and the disparity is even greater. Don't risk losing an
additional 15 or 20 healthful years to your life because of a lack of regular
exercise. Your health is too important to gamble on the false reliance of an
ancestor’s good health.
The goal of an
effective leader is not simply to appreciate the gift of life, but care for
ourselves and our health. Length of years is not as important as the quality of
life… the number of years we experience an active, exciting and productive
lifestyle. There are no guarantees but one way to put the odds in our favor is
to understand and regularly engage in exercise. Like anything worthwhile in
life, it is not always easy or convenient. However it offers the short
term-benefit of increased alertness, energy and weight control. Long-term it
may even extend our life. I encourage you to make it a regular part of your
life.
Next month we
will continue to discuss exercise, and
focus on other important health
considerations including the right foods to eat, and water.
Comments
to: editor@leadingtoday.org
To see all Greg’s
articles click here.
About the author:
Greg has
over 20 years of sales and marketing experience within the electrical
distribution industry. Some of his positions have included being a National
Sales Manager, National Marketing Manager and for the past 12 years that of
Regional Sales Manager. He also has extensive
experience in public speaking and has written articles for various
publications. Greg has a Master of Arts degree in Leadership from