Health Is the Way To Tremendous Wealth
Last modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago.
I have struggled with what Dr. Robert Glover, a psychologist, calls the “Nice-Guy Syndrome” (NGS) in his book No More Mister Nice Guy.
I love Dr. Glover’s work. As slow of a learner as I can be sometimes, it has truly changed my life. But I needed some help living and embodying the principles. That’s where Dr. Michael Pariser’s workbook, No More Mr. Nice Guy: The Hero’s Journey really helped.
One of the most salient points that Dr. Pariser made me aware of, was that “Nice Guys” struggle with accessing their own desires. Nice Guys have often been so busy trying to fulfill the needs of others, that they do not know how to identify, prioritize, and fulfill their own needs.
This can become a significant aspect of what Dr. Pariser describes as ‘a life of deep and constant misery’ for men with NGS.
I, too, deeply struggled with accessing my own desires.
Growing up, I was never asked at home, “Daniel, what do you really want to do with your life?”
Furthermore, I had to often make serious compromises, and set my own desires aside, in order to accommodate authority figures and their wishes.
Over the years, I’ve taken the time to do serious work on myself. It wasn’t a perfect trajectory to success, either. I learned, tried, made progress, slipped back to old ways, got unstuck again, moved forward again, screwed up some more, laughed at it all, and kept trying. I don’t believe I’ll ever be done with this work, but things definitely get better.
I was able to get really clear on what I wanted, too.
I want to be healthy and content.
The reason why those things are my goal, is because I know what it’s like to live without them. When I am not happy and healthy, it doesn’t matter what I have, because I won’t feel good about life. I won’t be able to enjoy what I do have, nor appreciate what life could be.
I’ve had plenty of stuff. It didn’t revolutionize my life, though. And I’ve had plenty when I wasn’t very content or feeling very well physically. I had a nice condominium, in one of the best parts of town, an easy walk from a beautiful beach. The weather was almost perfect year-round, too. I bought myself the toys I wanted, including an expensive road bicycle that I could have never had before. I was making more than enough money for myself. I had some pretty girlfriends. I took vacations to Europe and South America.
But too often, that all felt empty, or the pleasure fleeted rapidly.
Yes, I had more than plenty, but I didn’t feel content.
It took a long time to learn to identify and prioritize what I really wanted.
I want to feel content and peaceful within.
I want to continue to build and maintain the energy, health, and fitness that I deeply enjoy.
Without those things, it doesn’t matter how much stuff, experiences, or even, good people, I have in my life. It just doesn’t leave me feeling fulfilled.
As Nassim Taleb might say, I can’t tell you how to live. I can only tell you what I’ve done and how I’ve lived.
I’ve learned that, as Jack LaLanne said, health is the greatest wealth, and that peace and joy come from within.