The biggest lie that's making well-being such a struggle is: You have to be healthy to be happy. The reason so many individuals and businesses struggle to make meaningful improvements in their overall life satisfaction is they buy into this lie.
It's vital to understand that:
You can be healthy and unhappy.
You can be unhealthy and happy.
Look at some of the most inspirational people that live(d) truly fulfilling lives. The common theme isn't some magical morning routine, the right diet, and a six-pack. The common theme is meaning and purpose found through creation. If health were vital to wellbeing and happiness those who lose the ability to pursue good health through disability would not be able to enjoy a happy and fulfilling life. Yet, We had Stephen Hawking who continued to live a meaningful and impactful life after losing most of his ability to move. We have Toby Gutteridge who became disabled after being shot in Afghanistan who is now impacting many through his brand and writing. These are just two of thousands of examples of people who don't have the option to pursue high levels of physical fitness but live or lived meaningful and fulfilling lives. When you look around at people that are happy and successful the common theme is not incredible health but being creative.
Humans are natural creators and we feel at our best when we bring into the world creations through our natural strengths and drive. Not everybody wants or needs to create art, inventions, or best-selling books, but everyone has the desire to create something.
If you want to improve your overall well-being - or the overall well-being of a group of people - you have to start with unlocking creativity. What were you born to create? Is it Things? Art? Processes? Insights? Culture? Solutions? Ideas? Writing? What kind of life do you want to create? In businesses and teams instead of just reacting and responding to problems, ask what do we actually want to create? Once you are clear on that ask your people what can we do to move towards this vision? Let them create. If you or your people aren't clear on what you want to create, no amount of 'well-being interventions' will make any long-term change. Good health is a means to an end - not the end itself. The more we make health the goal, the more we miss the point, and the more we struggle to make lasting change.
If you want to create meaningful lasting changes in health, give yourself a compelling reason to do so - be clear on what you want to create and link health to that.
AUTHOR
Mike Jones Better Happy Founder
Mike founded Better Happy in 2018.
He now works with a variety of businesses ranging from small accountancies up to large organisations such as Travelodge on improving employee happiness. Mike's vision and the vision of Better Happy is 'Every employee happy, every business thriving'