This morning I was reading some work from the Greek philosopher Epictetus about obtaining things in life and how silly it is for us to desire things when we have not done what is required to obtain them in the first place.
This extends across many facets of life. It seems silly to desire knowledge if we refuse to put in the time to learn. It seems silly to desire success if we refuse to put our nose to the ground and work for it. It seems silly to desire strong relationships if we keep turning down an invitation to that group event, that opportunity to meet a new person, or mindlessly scroll on social media when we are spending time with others.
It is better to desire nothing and do nothing than to desire something and do nothing. However, I think the best approach is to desire something and do something and I think this especially applies to our health as a whole.
At some point, we have all been in a position where we have longed for better health. Maybe it was to lose weight and get a nice body for beach season. Maybe it was to improve health to get off of blood pressure medication. Maybe it was the realization that we have no energy and can’t think straight and we knew there was something that needed to be done about it. We have all been there.
We have also all been in the position where we long for those things but refuse to put in the work required to achieve them. We see a friend who is a picture of health and we feel some jealousy inside us. Do you see a problem here? As Epictetus says, “you can not, if you do not the same things in order to obtain what is not in our own power, be considered worthy of the same things.”
What I think Epictetus is saying here is that we shouldn't feel jealousy towards others OR inadequacy towards ourselves if we have not put in the effort to improve our current situations. When it comes to health, if you want to lose some weight, it’s time you start eating healthy. If you want to start putting on some muscle, it’s time to start picking up some weights. If you want to get healthier, it’s time to start thinking about your diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management. These things do not just come to us overnight and longing for them without action is a waste of your precious headspace.
This is not a call to action telling you that you need to whip yourself in shape. This is understanding that if you desire better health, it’s going to require action. Are you willing to put in the work to obtain better health or will you sulk and settle for whatever it is you are dealing with without taking that first step towards improvement? The choice is yours. Take a step today.
Thanks for reading,
Chris Irvin