Encourage men to move toward what we love, not just what's expected of us
Twenty-five years ago, I was running on the proverbial hamster wheel. My dad was an accountant, so I became an accountant. Then I did what everyone expected and landed a job at one of the big five accounting firms.
Suits, skyscrapers, long commutes and a dog-eat-dog work environment... It was the quintessential life of a hungry, 20-something New Jersey businessman. A 'finance bro,' as the kids call them these days.
Every morning, I was up at 4 a.m. Not because I loved spreadsheets, but because fitness kept me sane. My workout routine gave me clarity in a world where 'movement' otherwise meant ruthlessly climbing the corporate ladder, and competition for promotions was a full-contact sport.
After the Enron scandal rocked my company and the smoke from the 9/11 attacks loomed over my long commute home, the cracks in my professional life became hard to ignore. Eventually, I realized I was moving in a direction at odds with the person I wanted to be.
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So, I quit. I took a hard pivot, went back to my alma mater, and accepted an internship in campus recreation. Some would say I started over, but I'd say I found my way home. I found passion in working with health-minded students, creating fitness programs and earning advanced degrees in exercise science.
I found a way to make a living by helping others live healthier, more active lives. Not from a cubicle, but from a place of purpose.
June is Men's Health Month, and you'll hear a lot about cholesterol, PSA tests, and colonoscopies (all important, get them).
But, men: There's more to health than lab results, and there's more to life than doing what's expected.
Want to preserve your health? Move toward what you love. If you hate the treadmill, don't run on it. Go hike, join a pickup basketball game, try martial arts, chase your kid around the yard. Your body craves movement, but your soul craves purpose. Find something that gives you both.
We don't have to burn out in a job that doesn't serve us, or stay stuck in a routine that makes us miserable. Life's too short. Trust me, there's more out there than spreadsheets.
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I still work out almost every day. My joints complain a little louder now, but I listen to them just like I listened to my gut all those years ago.
So this June, sure, get your screenings. But also take inventory with an honest question: Am I heading towards something that fulfills me?
Because movement is good, but movement with purpose is even better.
Take it from me: You'll know the difference because the latter won't feel like you're on a hamster wheel.
Dr. Tim Leszczak is the Chair of the Department of Health and Human Performance at Austin Peay State University, where he oversees the healthcare administration, kinesiology, physical education, public health, and speech-language pathology programs.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Men's health more is than tests. We should move with purpose. | Opinion
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