Do you people watch? I do. Traveling a few weekends in a row earlier this month gave me ample opportunity. The people watching was especially entertaining at the various rest stops along the highways, turnpikes, and parkways the length of the northeastern corridor from NJ up to MA, and out through PA on the way to OH.

In all my recent people watching adventures I’ve notice something pretty sad.  On the whole, in general, there are many, many people out there in very poor shape.  Actually, horribly pathetic shape is a more apt description. Now I know this is not a revelation to you, my dear readers, nor is it one to me either.  It’s just that in crowded spots where people are traveling from all over are congregated, it becomes very noticeable.

Formula for Failure

The question I kept coming back to, as I looked around at these horribly out of shape people from all walks of life and all ages, was WHY? Why are people so enormously overweight? Why is their physical condition so screwed up? Why do they struggle for breath just standing up or sitting down? What happened along the way to get them in such a state? Surely no one started out wanting to be fat, out of shape, and de-conditioned.  Surely no one wanted to feel so devoid of energy and vitality. Surely it was a slow, slow decline. Surely it was an insidious series of small errors over the course of a long, long time that brought them to this, right?

Formula for Failure

“A few errors in judgment repeated every day.” – Jim Rohn

• What does it matter when you decide not to exercise?
• What does it matter when you have that extra dessert?
• What does it matter when you sit all day?
• What does it matter when you skip your mobility practice?
• What does it matter when you don’t breathe fresh air and walk in the sunshine?
• What does it matter when you smoke that pack of cigarettes?
• What does it matter when you watch TV for hours at a time?
• What does it matter when you KNOW the right thing, but don’t DO it?
• What does it matter when you don’t eat your vegetables?
• What does it matter when you add 4 sugars to your coffee?
• What does it matter if you don’t get enough sleep a night?
• What does it matter when you consistently eat too many carbs?

The truth is, it does matter. The little things you do, or don’t do, on a daily basis matter very much in the long run.

The only one ultimately responsible for your health and well-being is you.  Not your doctor. Not your spouse. Not your friends. Not the government. You.  You alone.  Make the right choices.