About 7 years ago I became obsessed with studying habits. I read every good book about habits from the last 30 years.

I studied the habits of the most prominent leaders across history. I wanted to know how they thought. Why they thought that way. And, what they actually did.

And then I started applying those principles to my own life. They worked. I changed. For the better.

I became a better leader. More importantly, I became a better man. A better husband. A better father.

But I applied almost none of what I learned to the most important practical facet of life. My own health.

Over the past 18 months I decided to change that. And I did. Here are the 4 things I did that have made me more capable at 45 than I was at 35.

I sleep. 8 hours per night. Sometimes my schedule demands a little less. I make up for what I missed by tacking it on the next day. Without compromise.
I don’t eat processed sugar. Limitation was not enough. I like cookies, cake, and ice cream too much. Elimination was the only way forward. I did it cold turkey. And I no longer even desire sugary foods.
I practice controlled heat exposure. Sauna for 20 minutes. Cooldown. Steam room for 10. Cooldown. I do it 4 to 6 times every week. I didn’t start there. But it is the sweet spot now. The cardiovascular benefits have been insane. When I am outside working or riding my mountain bike in the Arkansas heat I don’t even feel it anymore.
I stopped eating trash that made me feel gross. No empty calories. No garbage carbs. Only the good clean stuff. Whole Foods mostly. I eat intentionally. Boiled eggs or greek yogurt for breakfast. A small protein (usually fish) and salad or unseasoned brown rice for lunch. Whatever I want to eat for dinner, and as much of it as I feel like eating. No crazy diets. Just intentional discipline.

I still have some bad habits. Just for starters: I drink WAY too much coffee. Sometimes I am overly critical of my children. I don’t help my wife around the house enough. I still have a lot to learn about how to be a better man for the people that rely on me.

Perfection is a pipe dream. But improvement is a possibility. What you choose to do today is the vote you are casting for the life you want tomorrow. I am choosing to believe I will one day hold my great-grandkids. I am believing Jamie and I will celebrate our 70th anniversary in good health. And I am laying a foundation of intent to build the life I dream of enjoying with my loved ones.

Disciplined habits are how you build the life you long for. What’s one thing you need to start doing now?