Do Wellness and Leadership Mix? Part 2

By Miki Jo Resto, Vice President & Senior Consultant, Bright Talent

Originally published on ManagingAmericans.com

What does it matter?

After coaching many corporate leaders and entrepreneurs over the last couple of decades, I’ve noticed that most of them (men and women) hold a belief that to be successful, to lead well, and produce much they have to give up their health. Of course, they don’t necessarily think of it in this very direct way. The idea takes the form of some of these statements I hear frequently.

“I travel a lot, so I have a hard time eating well.”
“I won’t be able to exercise much until this ________ is done.”
“I intended to start _______, once that project was over, but of course something came up right behind it.”
“I can’t think about it now, because ______.”

In other words, I’ll work on it later. This is how you lose your health, little by little, or perhaps suddenly and all at once. These types of messages tell the body and mind that You are not as important as work, employees, clients, bosses or the Board – or whatever It may be. The message your mind-body learns is that you only deserve to feel vital and energized for short periods of time, like in between work steps and career leaps. The Self, called You, learns that health is recreation and not a resource. Recreation happens when work is done. Leaders are rarely finished with work.