Becoming a Healthy Executive: The 5 Habits That Drive Executive Success

A young female executive

As an executive, you're likely familiar with managing many tasks. You're always on the move, making crucial decisions and propelling your organization forward. But amid all these demands, have you ever paused to assess your executive health? 

Are you truly a healthy executive?

Being a healthy executive is not just about having an annual executive check-up or spending hours in the gym. It's about integrating health into every aspect of your life, from mental and emotional well-being to physical condition. It's about having a high level of health for those most important to you.

Indeed, your executive health is your most precious asset. Without it, even the most skilled executive and entrepreneur cannot operate at their peak. Without your health, all the wealth in the world is meaningless.

Neglecting your executive health can severely affect you and those around you. Long hours, elevated stress levels, inactivity, and poor dietary habits can lead to chronic diseases, accelerated aging, and burnout.

Conversely, investing in your health and, on a team level, your corporate executive's health can yield benefits in enhanced performance, resilience, and longevity.

Speaker talking in boardroom

The Connection Between Executive Health and Success

It's no accident that the world's most accomplished executives often lead healthy lifestyles. Executive health and executive fitness are inherently connected. 

Whether it's CEO health, CIO health, COO health, or any other c-suite member, an effective wellness program designed for each member positively benefits the company.

When you're in good health, expected executive health benefits include thinking more clearly, making superior decisions, and having the vigor to confront your daily challenges.

Consider the case of several high-profile entrepreneurs and executives, such as Richard Branson, who attribute their success, at least partly, to their commitment to health. These executives understand that caring for their health is not a luxury but a necessity. 

They know their health is critical to their ability to lead, innovate, and create value.

Successful executives and entrepreneurs comprehend that healthy habits are not a one-off event. Instead, they are consistent behaviors evident in daily lifestyle changes that must be nurtured and sustained over time. 

Moreover, these behaviors are also in constant evolution, as what works for us in our 20s may require adjustment in our 40s due to different health risk assessments and lifestyle changes.

Without further ado, this brings us to the concept of a healthy executive.

Man cycling outside

The Concept of a Healthy Executive

A healthy executive prioritizes their executive health and fitness and incorporates it as a vital part of their executive lifestyle. They don't regard health as an afterthought or something to fit in between meetings. 

Instead, they see it as their most strategic asset that can boost their performance, longevity, and overall legacy.

The healthy executive understands the value of preventative healthcare and wellness. They invest in regular executive check-ups to identify potential health issues and optimize their overall wellness and life. It's not just healthy eating; it's executive nutrition because it's more than just food.

They also recognize the importance of mental and emotional health. This recognition and awareness lead to prioritizing stress mitigation and building resilience.

The healthy executive embodies a holistic health approach, viewed through a systems mentality. They understand that good executive health is not just about the absence of disease but about achieving a state of comprehensive physical, mental, spiritual, and social well-being.

Introduction to the Five Habits that Drive Executive Success

Understanding the significance of executive health, let's delve into the five habits that can propel your success. These habits aren't quick fixes or magic solutions. They exist on a continuum of evolution, demanding commitment, discipline, and consistency. However, the rewards of improved health and enhanced performance are well worth the effort.

Habit 1: Prioritizing Regular Executive Check-Ups

The first habit is prioritizing regular executive checkups and overall preventive health screenings. These checkups are comprehensive executive health assessments explicitly designed for executives, top performers, and executive teams. 

These detailed assessments involve thoroughly examining your physical condition and evaluating your nutritional status, stress levels, genetics, rate of aging, and other health indicators.

Modern and progressive executive health assessments and corporate health management programs are not just about diagnosing diseases. They are about optimizing your health through various state-of-the-art assessments, identifying potential health risks, and creating personalized health plans based on your unique biodata. 

By prioritizing regular executive medical checkups and other executive medical exams, you are taking a proactive approach to your health, longevity, and performance. This sets the foundation for a comprehensive executive health program and a healthy executive lifestyle.

Man and woman running

Habit 2: Building Support and Accountability Systems

The second habit is building support and accountability systems. As an executive, you understand the value of teamwork and accountability in achieving business goals. The same principles apply to your executive health.

However, many executives, entrepreneurs, and other top performers tend to live on the island of isolation. As problems and stress mount, many tend to withdraw inward and internalize everything.

This is the opposite of what to do. It doesn't have to be lonely at the top.

You can build your team of experts. Think of this as your board of directors.

Building an executive health support system and a solid executive health plan can involve recruiting a team of health optimization professionals, such as doctors, wellness and fitness coaches, nutritionists, and executive wellness coaches.

These professionals, including life and fitness coaches, can provide expert advice, personalized care, and ongoing support and accountability through health coaching and nutrition coaching. They can also hold your feet to the fire, ensuring you stay committed to your health goals and do what you said you would do.

Another underrated aspect is that somebody can provide executive stress management coaching.

Lastly, leveraging support and accountability systems with your executive health helps alleviate potential decision fatigue due to many decisions and responsibilities throughout your day-to-day life.

Self care isn't selfish

Habit 3: Being Strategically Selfish

The third habit might surprise you. But being strategically selfish is necessary for your executive health and career longevity.

I get it. No one likes to be called selfish. It doesn't feel like a compliment or an endearing trait. But society labeling selfishness as a negative trait needs to stop immediately. 

Not being selfish leads to executives, entrepreneurs, and other top performers performing less-than-optimally in all categories across the board, impacting their executive health in every facet of life.

It's time to become selfish, not for self-indulgent reasons or because you're a jerk, but for your executive health, performance, and longevity.

This means prioritizing your executive health, even when saying 'no' to other demands. It means setting boundaries, taking time for rest and other executive sleep metrics, leveraging “intentional solitude," and ensuring that your well-being needs are met.

Being strategically selfish is not about neglecting your responsibilities. It's about recognizing that to serve others effectively, you must first take care of your executive health. 

By being strategically selfish, you are investing in your health and, in turn, enhancing your capacity to lead and succeed at the highest levels.

guy using health wearable

Habit 4: Leveraging Technology for Precision Health

The fourth habit is leveraging technology for precision health. As an executive, you understand the power of technology in driving business growth. The same applies to your executive health, performance, and longevity.

And these can be executed through an executive health program, concierge medical services, or something similar.

Through wearable devices, health apps, AI, advanced diagnostic assessments, and other digital tools, you can track your executive health metrics, monitor your progress, have a daily mini check-up, and gain specific insights into your health.

These tools can enable precision health, a personalized approach to health that considers your unique genetic, environmental, vocation, and other lifestyle factors.

Investor sign highlighted

Habit 5: Operating with an Investor's Mentality

The fifth habit is operating with an investor's mentality. An investor's mentality means viewing your executive health as a long-term investment rather than a short-term expense.

Think more as a long-term investor with your executive health than a day trader.

Operating with an investor's mentality equates investing time, effort, and resources in your executive health, expecting future returns regarding improved performance, resilience, and longevity through your executive wellness.

Lastly, this mentality also means being strategic about your health investments. It means choosing evidence-based, personalized, gender-specific, and sustainable executive health practices and interventions for the long run in your executive health and wellness.

Programs and Services for Executive Health and Wellness

There are various programs and services available for executive health and wellness. Some options to consider in your search include specifically focused executive health programs. 

At a basic level, you can start with a traditional executive physical exam and build from there.

However, progressing from a basic executive health assessment can steer you in numerous directions. These programs and executive health services can include executive wellness coaching, personalized fitness training, nutritional counseling, stress management workshops for the executive team, and more. 

Workplace wellness initiatives such as executive wellness coaching for your team and corporate wellness coaching for everyone else are viable options.

Lastly, it's essential to ensure your executive wellness programs are bio-individual to your unique life situations and consider factors such as differences in men's health and women's health programs.

These executive health programs and services can give you the knowledge, tools, and support you need to become a healthy executive.

Inside your executive health program, you can craft a personalized health plan, fostering healthy habits and achieving your goals with precise holistic health approaches that keep longevity at the forefront.

Strategy execution concept

Conclusion: Combining the 5 Habits for Executive Success

In conclusion, becoming a healthy executive is not a destination but a journey. It's about nurturing the five habits that drive executive success:

  • Prioritizing regular executive checkups

  • Constructing support and accountability systems

  • Being strategically selfish

  • Leveraging technology for precision health

  • Operating with an investor's mentality within an executive health program

Incorporating these habits into your executive lifestyle can enhance your health, boost your performance, and increase your longevity. You can become a healthy executive, capable of leading with energy, clarity, and resilience, under the guidance of an optimal executive health program.

Are you ready to embark on this journey and have an executive health program designed uniquely for you? If so, schedule your complimentary executive health meeting today and discover the personalized care and support to elevate your performance.

Embrace your potential and become the healthy executive you are meant to be. And the one those closest to you need you to be, with a focus on executive health.

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