Health Comes from Purpose, Not Right Knowledge, Planning, Willpower, Access, Etc.

I had a brilliant professor for Islam in college. We covered a replete history of the religion and the accompanying aspects of the cultural and surrounding historical influences. He had a penchant for noting incredibly wise observations on even unrelated topics. He once remarked, “some people have a philosophy, worldview, religion that is Absurdity: they say, ‘we believe in the Absurd,’ meaning that so much in life is contrary to expectations that they eventually come to expect absurd notions rather than logical ones.”
Although I am a pragmatist; I think I have more deeply become an Absurdist. Especially as I’ve obsessively worked with people on health and fitness and very closely observed so many people, I’ve found no better explanatory model.

One of the most often spoken remarks I’ve heard is “I know what to do; I just don’t do it.” Ok. Well, I challenge that you know what to do. But let’s take for granted you actually know that you know what you’re talking about. This is absurd. You have a formula for success, but refuse to implement it?

Around 90% of people who get gym memberships don’t use them, or certainly not effectively. The same can be said of workout equipment at home, videos, etc. People have access, only to refuse the use of their access.

FitBits and other tracking technology have been increasingly adopted by American adults for the same 10 years that we have accelerated the obesity rate. It’s not about awareness.

In fact, propose whatever other sentiment you like, whatever other excuse you feel legitimate, and you’ll end up empty-handed under scrutiny. It’s absurd. People work hard at worsening their health.

Early in my professional career I noticed that ON AVERAGE people who had the most ample resources of time and money did not have the best health. People who live in comfort avoid the discomfort of growth. People who live in discomfort have seen this song and dance.

To this day, the only people I know who can afford in-house chefs or consistent meal prep programs struggle far more in taking care of themselves than people who are slaving to feed their families. I know guys who could have every single perfect and tasty meal made for them every single day, but they don’t. They could train every single day; but they refuse. They have the time to do whatever it is they like; but, just like all of us, they fill the calendar with other things. It’s absurd.

A big piece of this absurdity is due to purpose. People without deep meaning tend to make worse decisions for their personal health: https://www.asc.upenn.edu/…/strong-life-purpose-healthier-c…

When I say meaning, I’m not referencing whatever banner it is you wave in order to convince other people that that is your mission. I’m talking about deep down in your heart.

If making beneficial choices is a persistent battle wherein you chronically lose, it may be time to reevaluate purpose. This would make sense, obviously. But the Absurdist in me expects you won’t do it. The most rational thing to do would be to take the feedback of ever-worsening health and take a critical eye at ones own beliefs and how he/she operates throughout a week. That’s sensible. That’s logical.

So I expect you won’t.

But I hope you will.

​And I’ll keep trying to rephrase it every way I can to help you try.