During the offsite at the private equity firm I worked with, there was this German guy who was kicking the football like a rocket. Trying to catch up with him left us gasping for air – not one of us could outrun him.
And while we were in our thirties, he was in his early seventies.
And just in case you are thinking that he was a professional athlete or something – not really. He had one of the busiest jobs in the corporate world – for thirty-plus years, he was with McKinsey and became the Chairman of McKinsey in Europe (Dr. Herbert Henzler).
But why am I sharing this? Because we often feel that we have to choose between professional success and health.
If someone became a billionaire by compromising their health, it was probably a necessary choice they had to make – isn’t it?
My firm conviction is – no, it is a false choice. If a McKinsey partner can be so fit in his seventies, we all can find a way.
Of course, it is not easy. When I was with McKinsey, I failed to do that – I ignored my health for work. But looking back, I feel like I could have done things differently.
Fitness and health are not optional. Health is not a ‘nice to have,’ which we can cultivate later when we are rich and famous, and about to retire.
The time to build your health is now. Later might be too late.
– Rajan