The Golden Circle: The Mindset of the Health Elite

How do you explain the colossal healthy lifestyle divide between the healthy haves and have-nots?

How have the healthy elite become so, and why does everyone else lag far behind?

Why is healthy living so simple and easy to a few, and to others so complex and challenging?

These aren’t rhetorical questions. There are answers – one that will, should you allow it, forever alter your health and change your life for the better.

I know what you’re thinking – genetics, money, connections.

All wrong.

Sure, these factors are nice bonuses that help on the margins. But they’re not the all-powerful linchpins that most believe them to be. They’re simply accessories (at best) and excuses (at worst).

There’s something else at play here.

Want to know what it is?

To Have a Dream: An Introduction

Martin Luther King, Jr didn’t have a plan for civil rights. He had a dream for peace and justice.

John F. Kennedy didn’t have a 12-point plan for reaching the moon. He had a vision for man’s greatness in the face of the impossible.

Jamie Oliver doesn’t have a nutritious cookbook. He has a Food Revolution to change the world!

These inspirational figures have or presently are altering history. Much like the health elite, they achieve results the likes of which most cannot even fathom. How?

Well, despite having vastly different personas, talents, and places in history – they’re a part of a pattern. They share something in common. And it’s the answer to our question about the healthy lifestyle divide.

They possess the same mindset – thinking about, acting on, and communicating to others not what they have or want but why they believe what they believe.

That’s right, it all comes down to dreams, and just how strongly you believe in them.

And guess what – you can learn this mindset. Indeed you must if you are to achieve the ranks of the healthy lifestyle elite.

What to learn how?

The Golden Circle of Healthy Lifestyle Design

This mindset of applied and achieved excellence is best described as The Golden Circle. And as it’s creator (Simon Sinek – more on him soon) states, “It’s probably the world’s simplest idea”.

The idea is thus…

Conventional thought, action, and conversation flows from the outside-in – from what, to how, to why.

In other words, from the easiest and most obvious (whats) to the most nebulous (whys).

Unfortunately, this is unoriginal, uninspiring, and unremarkably average. Lame.

Conversely, those that achieve greatness do precisely the opposite – they think, act, and communicate from the inside-out – from why, to how, to what.

This is unconventional, highly memorable, and incredibly inspiring. Score!

Let’s examine the component parts one at a time and in the context of healthy living…

1. What (Results)

Everyone knows 100% what they want from their healthy lifestyle – less fat, more muscle, greater stamina, fewer chronic problems, improved quality of life, elevated self-esteem.

Some define what they want more specifically – single digit body fat, 10 pounds more muscle, elimination of all prescription medicines, completing a marathon, climbing Everest, etc. Specificity is smart – but it’s still only “what” you want, and “whats” matter least.

2. How (Tactics)

Beyond knowing what you want from your healthy lifestyle is knowing how to achieve it. This is a step up in healthy lifestyle acumen, and not everyone makes it.

Those that do know that regular exercise, ample recovery, balanced nutrition, quality sleep, less (if any) processed foods, fun play, creative challenges, and emotional wellbeing are all how you achieve health excellence. It’s not rocket science.

3. Why (Beliefs)

Far fewer make the leap to genuinely understanding why a healthy lifestyle is important to them. This is precisely why there are so few healthy elites.

Moreover, health elites don’t just comprehend the why, they lead with it. The why institutes purpose and forges resolve for their ideas.

They BELIEVE that triumphant health is a gateway to remarkable living. This then develops the healthy lifestyle behaviors needed for lifelong success.

Your Reality Check

Which of these two mindsets sound like yours?

1. I want to lose 10 lbs and tone my muscles for my spring break trip to Hawaii. Since I only have three months to prepare, I will quite eating all junk food immediately, exercise 5 days a week, and drink protein shakes after every workout. This will allow me to have a great time on my vacation! And maybe I’ll keep this up when I get back if I enjoy it.

- OR -

2. I believe that a healthy lifestyle is a liberating and enjoyable way to experience life. I believe in defining my health and living my life on my own terms. Hence, I will experiment with various fitness and nutrition programs until I discover what I enjoy most and what works best. This will motivate me to live each day to it’s fullest, and make each day better than the last.

As you can see, the first conforms to the outside-in status quo. The second breaks convention and inspires inside-out living. The first is unremarkable and destined for failure. The second is exhilerating and destined for greatness.

Your mindset is a choice. Choose wisely!

The Most Important Question – What Do You Believe?

The goal is not to define your healthy lifestyle by your wants. The goal is to define your healthy lifestyle by what you believe.

So what do you believe?

Do you believe you have permission to become fantastically healthy? Do you believe that a grand healthy lifestyle unleashes your best potential? Do you believe that you don’t have to conform to the health and life expectations of others? Do you believe that healthy lifestyle excellence will change your life forever?

I do. And many others do to.

If you share these beliefs, then join the League of Avengers because we believe as you do. Subscribe by RSS or by Email. Follow the adventure on Twitter and on Facebook.

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Editor’s Note – This article was inspired by Simon Sinek’s truly sensational TED Talk. His intellectual brilliance and magical ability to storytell, inspire, and lead has given me new clarity and context to what were already the founding ideas of Healthy Lifestyle Design. Thank you Simon for sharing your wisdom!

I heartedly encourage you to watch Simon’s TED Talk in full. Every minute is worth it. And you’ll undoubtedly glean your own personal inspirations in ways I’d never know. I hereby give you Simon, in his own words…

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Lead Image Credit: digitalbob8