Socrates points out that there are several dangers in not cultivating physical excellence.
First, an unhealthy body leads to an unhealthy mind. Can a person suffering from preventable health disorders dedicate all of their resources toward personal growth? Physical debilitations that you can overcome with your own efforts (such as obesity or a weak immune system due to bad nutritional habits) sap your energy and limit your potential.
If you’re constantly getting sick, how likely are you to maintain self-discipline? I don’t know about you, but whenever I get so sick that I can barely walk around the house, my routine is out of the window and it takes a considerable amount of time to return to it. The more often you get sick, the more difficult it is to build new habits and maintain successful routines.
Second, a strong body is better prepared—both physically and mentally—to deal with any health problems that you can’t prevent. Consequently, you can more quickly recover from those hardships (or accept them with more ease) and refocus your efforts on your most important long-term goals.
Last but most definitely not least, developing your body to your own highest limit (which doesn’t mean becoming a muscle head or having a perfectly sculpted body) is a valuable goal in itself. It shows you how much you can push your limits, teaches you how powerful long-term dedication can be, and can transform your entire mindset. In fact, just cultivating physical excellence on its own can develop powerful self-discipline.
I can attest to these benefits. When I started exercising and my body began to change, I soon saw my mental state reflect the positive external changes. A great amount of the experience I have had with overcoming temptations and sticking to my resolutions comes from physical activity and my resolve to become the strongest person I can.
If you aren’t putting your health and fitness first, it’s high time you change that.