This One Tiny Habit Will Help You Increase Your Income By 13,36%
When I was browsing through my direct messages on X last week, one conversation made me sit upright on the couch with a "aha-feeling”.
I had been chatting with a real estate business owner to find out if we would work together. We didn`t, but that was not the point.
The eye-opening statement he made referred to the health-awareness of people like him - entrepreneurs.
"In my perception, there are two camps:
A - high performers who are focused on their health, exercise and use it as a competitive advantage - which I do"
B - Those who don`t care too much about it."
There were two ways I could continue the conversation.
Either moan about the number of CEOs, entrepreneurs, and executives who belong to camp B and will pay the price down the line, how much they need my help…
Pointless.
Or stay on the topic of "competitive edge" - I chose the latter.
"Competitive advantage, what do you mean?," I asked.
"Regular exercise helps me do a better job and be a better husband: I feel like
I am much more focused, I can handle stress better and I make better decisions.
I even believe it helps me earn more money"
I could not wait to do my research and found compelling evidence he was right.
Those who engage in regular physical activity, tend to earn more.
More on that in a minute.
Before, let`s dive into a career which could be similar to yours.
You`ve been climbing up the ladder over the last 2 decades.
Maybe you`re an executive, a business owner, or something else - you belong to the category of high performers.
This earns you a high income. At the same time, it costs you.
Your overtime account is overflowing like a pot with popcorn.
Being away from your family for the business - it hurts.
Being the caretaker who pays for a high-profile life - fills you with pride.
Your problem: You are too ambitious to play it safe.
Sure, it`s great what you have achieved, but you are not done building your career. Money has been a great motivator, and so is the power that comes with it.
Over the years, your time investment has increased, but you also have control over your time
Which means?
You decide when to work hard and when to get off the gas for a moment.
At 45 years of age, you are not sure for how long you can keep up with this pace.
Trying to ignore early signs of adverse health effects didn`t work - your wife is too concerned and insists on regular medical check-ups.
But still, a slipped disc was last year, this year you are jeopardizing your sleep, feeling drained during the day.
So how to keep winning and earning big money while catching up on your health?
Glad you asked.
Here`s my best cliche answer: When working more is not the answer, working smarter is.
Sure, building upon your niche-specific skills has taken you far and you won`t stop doing this. But the real untapped power for you lies outside of that.
One of the best ways to do that? Start a regular exercise program.
Richard Branson, founder of Virgin says:
"No matter where my travels take me, my day starts with a good workout, preferably kitesurfing or tennis. Exercise puts me in the right state of mind for the day. Dedicating time in the morning to exercise your body will make a big difference when you have to focus your mind on the day's work."
It's just impossible to keep up with a job like his without an exercise routine in place.
You might not control a media empire, but the workload is similar.
So why invest in exercise?
It has been proven many times that regular exercise profits your job performance.
Here are the most compelling benefits:
Improved cognitive function
Increased energy levels
Enhanced time management and discipline
Better stress management
If you care about earning more money, look no further.
A study 2from the Journal of Labor Research found that there is an income gap between those who exercise regularly and those who do not exercise.
The difference is huge - 25000$.
Now, if exercise alone was enough to earn more, I would be a multi-millionaire already.
The intensity plays another important role: people who participate in high-intensity exercises earn more than those who engage in low to moderate-intensity workouts.
Another evidence-based study from China highlights the mechanism behind the income boost.
This study finds an income difference of 13,36%
Ok, cool.
What does this mean in detail?
1) Regular physical activity has a direct influence on your health - leading to better attendance and work participation
2) It increases work performance - it affects your productivity in a positive way
3) Social capital development - networks influence your net worth
Let`s use a real-life example: Imagine you're leading a high-pressure project at work.
Thanks to regular exercise, you're not just staying focused but also energized through long hours while others get tired. When things get stressful, you're able to stay calm and problem-solve efficiently because of your ability to manage stress through workouts.
When it's time to present to leadership, your confidence and presence—powered by physical fitness—help you perform at a higher level.
Here`s how it works for me:
I can feel the effects of a single cardio session up until 24 hours later. You are more calm, in a better mood, and perceive situations as challenges and not problems.
During walks, your brain has time to connect the dots and present solutions as well as ideas on what to write about.
I use the extra energy to build my dream on top of my 9 to 5.
In a nutshell: The person who builds his body and mind does it better and longer.
Isn`t that what we want?
Build a better version of ourselves while being grateful for what we have.
I cannot promise you that you will earn more money.
But if you start prioritizing exercise, you will earn one of the highest returns in investments.
Enhanced Life Quality
Increased Life Quantity
You might think you have no clue how to begin your exercise journey, but all things start with small things.
My best advice: Break down full-blown gym sessions into digestible bouts of exercise throughout the day.
These are called movement snacks.
Here`s an article I wrote on it that covers the whole concept including exercise plans.
2-3 10-minute sessions of body weight training will set you up for visible results by Christmas - a head-start compared to most people, who want to start exercising next year.
P.S.: Exercise can be the competitive edge most people never get consistent at.
With the winter season upon us, it becomes even more challenging to stay active.
Shorter and darker days are perfect for lounging on the couch, being lazy, and gaining weight.
It`s when the days get longer next year that you wish you had started in 2024.
Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked with professionals like you to create a simple and sustainable way to take control of your health and begin immediately building the competitive edge.
See what Milos had to say about our discovery call:
This is one reason clients enjoy my calls—zero cookie-cutter advice.
If you want to be ahead of other people in Q4, why not book a free, no obligations 30-minute discovery call?
We’ll discuss your goals and see if we’re a good fit.
To your competitive edge, Philipp
https://www.azquotes.com/quote/1597241
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12122-011-9129-2
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36079780/#:~:text=The%20study%20shows%20that%20(1,with%20those%20not%20exercising%20regularly.