We all yearn for a life that’s healthier, happier, and ultimately more fulfilling, but it’s not just about knowing the right steps to take.

The truth is, I could write volumes about how to be healthy, but if people don’t put that knowledge into action, it’s all in vain.

The reality is that achieving and maintaining good health is hard in today’s world. We find ourselves pointing fingers.

It’s the food industry flooding us with hyper-palatable options on every street corner. It’s our sedentary jobs tied to computers.

It’s the addictive allure of social media, video games, and streaming services that keep us indoors. It’s a school system that neglects to educate the young on the importance of health.

However, at the end of the day, the responsibility to be healthy falls on the individual. The problem is that many individuals are uneducated, unmotivated, and confused.

So, what separates the dreamers from the achievers?

It’s not a lack of knowledge – we have more information at our fingertips than ever before. It’s not a lack of time, either, as we enjoy more “free” time compared to our ancestors. Yet, we often spend our time in ways that make us unhealthy and unhappy.

The key difference lies in motivation.

The doers take action because they’re motivated to do so. When you’re genuinely motivated, it becomes easier to keep taking steps towards your goals.

After all, why would anyone willingly engage in activities they lack motivation for?

This brings us to a pivotal realization – we need to boost our motivational state, so that not only do we complete the tasks we should but also enjoy doing them.

But before we can harness the power of our motivation, we must first find a way to ignite it. Simply living longer isn’t a compelling enough reason for most people.

It’s not just about being healthier, sharper, or even looking better; it’s about something more profound.

But what is that “something”?

That’s what we’re here to explore.

Your physical health holds the key to your motivational state, which, in turn, dictates your ability to actively pursue the life you desire.

You have dreams, aspirations of becoming a better version of yourself, of securing a brighter future, and of living a better life.

If your capacity and willingness to chase these dreams are determined by your physical health, would you prioritize it?

Physical Health is The Foundation

Two weeks ago in The Impact of Dopamine is Way LARGER Than You Think I wrote about how dopamine influences our behavior, energy expenditure, and overall well-being.

The main idea is that our dopamine function controls how energy is allocated both internally and externally and that energy allocation is fundamental to survival making dopamine function vital.

You can think of it as a spectrum with survival on one end and thriving on the other where dopamine controls our position on that spectrum.

We then applied this to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to get a sense of how it affects both our physical and mental health. To move up the hierarchy we need to take care of the needs below.

Dopamine is the subconscious regulator of our position within Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It encourages us to explore take risks and move beyond basic needs. Conversely, low dopamine levels lead to a focus on safety and minimal energy expenditure.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs places physiological needs at the base of the pyramid. Without meeting these fundamental requirements, it’s challenging to pursue any higher-level needs, such as belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization.

In other words, physical health provides the essential foundation upon which all other aspects of well-being and personal development are built.

Dopamine plays a crucial role in regulating energy allocation. Low dopamine levels push the body into a state of energy conservation and a focus on basic survival needs.

This implies that without good physical health, the body’s energy allocation may be skewed towards simply maintaining life, leaving little room for exploration, learning, and self-improvement.

Think of a motivational state as the willingness to do something. If our motivational state is low our willingness to take care of the higher-up needs will not be there. We will have less energy physically and psychologically (motivation) to allocate toward what matters to us.

When we improve our physical health the pool of energy we can allocate grows larger and the options where that energy can go increase.

When physical health is prioritized, it leads to increased dopamine levels and a sense of well-being. This positive feedback loop encourages individuals to explore, set and achieve higher goals, and build stronger relationships, which further enhance their overall quality of life.

I think this is one of the main reasons most people who improve their physical health also start to prioritize their mental health. Mental health is higher up in the pyramid. Without an improved motivational state, we won’t prioritize it.

Even though some people can work on higher-order needs without good health, everyone would benefit from better physical health.

It changes where energy can go. It changes who you can be. It changes what you can do.

Well-being is a house of carbs built on a table of physical health, without a table no house can ever be built.

The reason you should be healthy is not to live longer. It is not even to feel better now, to have better cognition, less pain, a better-looking body, or better mental health.

It is literally to increase where energy can go.

Prioritizing physical health aligns with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and is supported by the concept of dopamine regulation. It is the foundational step that allows individuals to address higher-level needs, improve their well-being, and pursue self-actualization.

By focusing on physical health, individuals can optimize their potential for a fulfilling and balanced life.

You want to be a better person, a better friend, brother, and son. You want to have a positive impact on the world. You want to reach your potential.

Every time you do something unhealthy it lowers your position in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It makes you less able to pursue higher-order goals like love, self-esteem, and self-actualization.

Are you motivated enough to take care of your body?

I don’t know what else you would need. Everything you value depends on your physical health.

Next Sunday we’ll use the framework of dopamine function in relation to energy allocation to understand how to improve our physical health.

It’s all in service of having the energy and motivation to pursue higher-level needs.

Until next Sunday, do what makes your future self proud.