Health promotion and prevention is such a better investment
It struck me how closely aligned I am to the authors of this article where I believe that spending money on health promotion and prevention is such a better investment than paying for treatment and potential cures.
McKinsey Health Institute “proposes disproportionately investing in disease prevention and health promotion in addition to treatment to help people truly thrive. Promotion is defined here as actions that help individuals achieve and sustain the best possible physical, mental, social, and spiritual health given their intrinsic biological capacity.”
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity
If I were to ask you the question – “How’s your health?”
What would you think I meant?
Most people I speak to immediately go to equate my question with wellness – physical and mental health wellness – not the encompassing well-being. Very few ever mention or even consider their social well-being. “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” World Health Organization, 1948.
Do you expect a Carrot or the stick???
Two theories have greatly impacted me and my perceptions of life – Douglas McGregor’s “Theory X and Theory Y” and Dan Pink’s “Intrinsic Motivation”. Working in the military certainly challenged my view – do people do what they do from the aspect of being afraid of a result or from the perspective of the pleasure they will gain?
“Successful people do the things that unsuccessful people won’t.”
Let me just be clear here: anyone claiming to be an overnight success is blocking their past.
Our minds love a challenge, but only if it meets the right conditions. If it’s too easy, our mind gets bored and moves on to something else. If it’s too hard, we lose motivation quickly… and move on to something else. James Clear, in his book Atomic Habits, calls it the ‘Goldilocks Rule’ – not too easy, not too hard, but just right.
I’ve often posted a quote from Bob Proctor that “Successful people do the things that unsuccessful people won’t.”. It’s not only having difficult conversations, accepting failure as a part of the overall journey, and staying true to their vision. It’s also practising the steps repeatedly, even when they become boring.