It was so unfair — we were all fit, thirty-something guys, pitched against a team that included senior people, including a 70-year old.
This friendly football match during a company offsite, in my last job, was going to be a no-contest. And it was.
We were crushed, thanks to the 70-year-old German guy on the other team. He kicked the ball like a rocket, sprinted like Usain Bolt, and tackled us like he was playing the World Cup. Soon, we were gasping for air — a no-contest it certainly was.
Now, you may have guessed that this 70 yr-old was a professional football player in his youth.
Nope.
For 35 years, he had a super-intense job, and at one point, he was the Chairman of McKinsey in Europe, while also working as a part-time ski instructor as a hobby. His physical fitness was exceeded only by his intellect.
Today, he would be 80 but if we played again, the outcome would be no different.
How did he do this?
Prioritization. In life, what we prioritize is what gets done.
Work matters, but so do fitness, mental health, family, and relationships. Now, it is up to us to prioritize, and when needed, say no.
People can only give us advice and encouragement. But what we make of our life is totally up to us.
Find your priorities. Make them non-negotiable. And then, see your life change.
– Rajan