I spent a morning in San Francisco speaking to a group of entrepreneurs who own fitness centers and gyms; dozens of them and in some cases hundreds of them. There were many different and varied approaches to marketing fitness. We all agreed that fit people are fun people, the best sort of person to be and to have around. (Phillip Mills with his Les Mills gyms in New Zealand is the epitome of this. A top man.)
There is a direct correlation between fitness and leadership. A study by the Center of Creative Leadership shows that if you want to perform at your peak, you need to be fit for the job. Exercise improves energy, mood and cognitive performance. It enables our brains to traffic thoughts and emotions, and reduces the impact of stress on the body.
When you’re making big decisions, canvassing multiple time zones and surviving on minimal shut eye, two things you need to do to ensure peak performance is eat well and get exercise. It’s what you need to do if you want to survive the demanding executive lifestyle long-term.
