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Key Takeaways Leaders perform better in the long term when they prioritize their physical health and daily well-being.
Consistent fitness routines improve stamina, focus, mental flexibility and confidence in high-pressure roles.
When leaders model wellness, it empowers employees and boosts organizational performance and ROI.
High performance starts with high capacity. Leaders can’t sustain results when running on fumes.
I would know. Years ago, I was a new mom and new VP when I passed out from exhaustion. Like many executives, I was “giving my all” while forgetting to put on my own oxygen mask first.
It was a wake-up call that ignoring my health wasn’t an option. Executive roles have always been demanding, but the relentless pace of the modern workplace has brought this more into focus. In the AI era, we’re driving a technological transformation that demands incredible personal energy and resilience.
It’s no surprise that more and more experts are highlighting the value of health in the workplace. Well-known leaders, including Tim Cook, Oprah Winfrey and Mark Cuban, also credit exercise as a way to sustain their performance. There’s even a “Deadlift ETF” showing that companies led by gym-rat CEOs often outperform the S&P 500.
Of course, “fitness” takes many forms. Everyone’s path to wellbeing is different, but we all need practices that build endurance, clarity and calm. Which is why health, wellness, and, yes, even getting a bit buff, are strategic imperatives for many leaders. “Executive physicals” are becoming increasingly common as organizations recognize that leadership performance and health are deeply connected. In the coming years, I expect we’ll see a continued expansion of these programs into more comprehensive executive health and wellness initiatives.
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