Article by Nancy MacKay, originally published on Forbes.com
I’ve worked with thousands of brilliant, driven CEOs who excel at navigating complex business challenges but struggle to navigate their own health. For decades, I’ve witnessed these talented individuals struggle with the consequences, from burnout to severe health diagnoses. When tough love is needed, I tell them, “Dead CEOs don’t meet their targets.” It’s a stark reality, but one that drives home the absolute necessity of proactive health mastery. This isn’t selfish: by prioritizing their own wellbeing, CEOs show up as the best version of themselves for their teams, families, and organizations.
The Two Pitfalls That Keep CEOs From Prioritizing Their Health
The single biggest barrier I hear from CEOs when it comes to prioritizing their health is, “I don’t have time.” But the reality is that after getting the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep, you have approximately 100 waking hours a week. So why do CEOs avoid health mastery? It largely comes down to ego.
Many CEOs fear getting a bad diagnosis, which leads to medical avoidance. They prefer not to know what might be lurking. That fear is an ego-driven response, a part of our negative brain that wants us to catastrophize and believe the worst. However, not knowing doesn’t solve anything; it’s only by knowing what’s going on that you can do something about it.
The ego also prevents CEOs from being vulnerable and seeking help. The deeply ingrained belief that a CEO must have all the answers and never show weakness makes it incredibly difficult to admit to struggles. This compounds stress-related health issues, while further discouraging them from seeking the very support they need.
Daily Habits for Proactive Health Mastery
When coaching CEOs on health mastery, I focus on three daily habits. Incorporating these into the day-to-day routine helps make taking care of yourself a discipline. It starts with blocking one hour daily for your health. Whether it’s exercise, mental fitness, or healthy meals, it needs to be scheduled like any critical business meeting.
Then, there’s sleep. Many CEOs boast about how little sleep they need—but this is a recipe for disaster. If you’re not getting the recommended seven to eight hours, you are accelerating the aging process and increasing your risk for health issues, from cardiovascular disease to mental health problems. Inadequate sleep also means you aren’t functioning as effectively as a CEO: poor sleep impedes decision making, increases emotional volatility, and makes it more difficult to maintain your composure at work.
Finally, I recommend using a technique from the excellent book Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine—PQ (positive intelligence) reps. PQ is a mindfulness practice that resets and redirects your attention to the present moment. Ten-second PQ reps, done 100 times a day, train your mind to get grounded, calm your nervous system, and access your inspired brain, so you can respond instead of react to the people and circumstances around you.
Healthy CEOs, Healthy Organizations
I once coached a fifty-year-old CEO experiencing panic attacks for the first time in his life. He had pushed himself too hard and neglected his mental well-being—not getting enough sleep, traveling extensively, and drinking too much to manage his stress. With support from his doctor and by learning positive intelligence practices, he eliminated his panic attacks. That work also shifted his leadership approach and resulted in him becoming a more impactful CEO.
Read the article on forbes.com
