I had a discussion with a client of mine about this very thing recently and it got me thinking. Fitness is like an investment in oneself. The parallels are startling, actually. Often I see people that are successful in either fitness or financially. I really don't think it has to be that way. If one would put the same principals that made one successful in one area into both worlds I bet one would find success in the other.
To get people started thinking about it I've drawn upon my finance background and come up with five ways in which fitness is like an investment. I can think of a bunch of other ways, so don't just take these five as gospel. Come up with your own method of building your fitness portfolio!
1. Both work best on a budget. Good financial planners budget their resources very carefully. Many of them save before they do anything else. Before money even hits their hands they have it drawn off to savings and investment programs. This keeps them from spending it where they shouldn't. It's important to do the same with your fitness regimen. Budget your time for fitness. For example, don't look at your day as working until 5:00pm, then going to the gym until 6:30pm. You'll be likely to talk yourself out of the gym because it lengthens your day. Simply look at it, upon leaving the house, that you won't return until 6:30pm.
2. Research. I don't know a lot of financially successful people who don't research their investments. They research completely and they use different methods to reach their conclusions. Do the same for your fitness plan. Is what you're doing the best thing? If you don't think it is then explore the possibilities. Talk to a professional, just as someone focusing on a retirement plan would. Find some literature on the topic. Explore some websites. Find good, solid information from a variety of sources and come up with a program. Just as many investors don't need to become professionals you don't need to become a fitness professional. Both you and the private investor do need to learn some things about the trade, though.
3. Look for new opportunities. This goes hand in hand with the research. A good investor is always on the lookout for new opportunities. Maybe a piece of land in a high-rent area just came up for sale at a knockout price, needing just a bit of TLC. A good investor hops on it. Maybe your exercise program has gotten stale lately. Start looking for some new adventures. Maybe there's a great climbing wall in your area that you've never tried. Have you ever joined a basketball league? Keep your eyes out for opportunities to explore new areas of fitness.
4. Patience. Great investors are patient. They're not in it for quick, get-rich-quick schemes. A good investor will research, make a solid investment, and wait for maturity. They won't get too ruffled with the minor ups and downs of the market. Fitness is the same way. Develop or get a good plan and stick with it. Make minor tweaks here and there if you need to, but don't panic if your body doesn't respond right away. Fat loss and the development of fitness isn't a linear process, there are all kinds of little ups and downs along the way. Enjoy the ride.
5. Freedom. Why do most people invest some of their earnings? They're not really investing for a rainy day, as many will tell you. Most develop much more than they'd ever need for a little bit of misfortune. People invest for retirement and pleasure, be it at age 35 or 65. Having a substantial amount of saved money allows people the freedom to do things that they wouldn't be able to do if they simply lived from their income. They can retire, buy boats and RV's, take trips, spoil the grandchildren, and do all kinds of other things they enjoy. Being physically fit, at any age, gives you the freedom to enjoy yourself. The client who I can credit with the idea for this article recently did some traveling and ended up hiking and mountain climbing with her family. She told me that a year ago, before she started being active again, there's no way she could have done that. She had a great time. That's freedom from fitness. Being in shape gives you the freedom to go on nature hikes, enjoy walking around historic districts and museums all day, and hit the clubs to dance all night if you want to. These things may not have anything to do with fitness, but being fit has a lot to do with them.
Financial investment and fitness are as complicated as you make them. At the simplest level you'll be financially successful if you spend less than you make. At the same level you'll be physically successful if you move more and eat enough to sustain yourself and your activity, not more. The more work you put into both areas, the greater rewards you'll reap from them. If you're successful in one area then apply the principals that made you the success that you are to the other.