So why is it that as we grow up we lose all the passion, the energy, the will and the strength to keep our dreams alive.
Because we lose so much energy in general.
Because we don't take care of ourselves.
OP cites Tony Robbins. Anyone who has ever been to any Tony Robbins event knows that he always starts with health (eating right, exercising, and mental attitude) before addressing anything else. Because he already knows what many don't: if you're not feeling right, nothing else matters.
Almost all of us have ample energy in our teens and twenties. But as we get older, we have to make a conscious effort to maintain energy and vitality. Most people I know in their 30s, 40s, and 50s don't do nearly enough. We slow down, put on weight, and lose energy. It happens so gradually that we barely notice. And we blame everything else: family, finances, lifestyle, etc. And we avoid acknowledging the elephant in the room: it's awfully hard to get passionate about anything when we only have enough energy to plop down in front of the TV with a bag of chips.
Most people I know with the energy to accomplish a lot, regardless of age, take care of themselves, especially those working 2 jobs or running a side business.
All of the other reasons (fear of failure, responsibilities, etc.) make sense, but I wonder how many people don't follow their dreams simply because they've run out of energy by not taking good enough care of themselves.
I'd like to add that it's also never too late to start taking better care of yourself and reaping the benefits thereof. I know a man who decided to become a vegetarian and start riding his bike more frequently at the age of 40. He's 80 now, and just biked across the country last year.
I'm reminded of this story from a webpage on San Francisco running "superstars". While I think genetics is a significant factor in determining your base energy level and how far you go, I think most of us have a lot more potential to regain lost energy than we realize:
"Sister Marion Irvine did not start running until age 47. She was overweight and smoked two packs a day. Looking for a way to relax after a day as a grade school principal in San Rafael, Sister Marion took up running. ''I needed to use up some pent-up energy, so I decided to give it a go,'' said the 54-year-old Roman Catholic nun, who was soon going 70 miles a week. She started out half-running and half-walking.
In 1984, she qualified for the US Olympic Trials in the marathon by running 2:51 at the age of 54, becoming the oldest to ever qualify for the OTs."
As I've gotten older, I'm 41 now, this has become a higher and higher priority for me, because I realize once you slip it's harder to come back.
I recently changed jobs and one of the deciding factors was how it would impact my workout schedule - was there a gym close by, was it a good gym, how could I work in sessions with my trainer, etc. Don't get me wrong, it's a great job and I'm super excited about it but it was a factor.
The older you get the easier it is to become overweight, out of shape, etc., so don't lose that energy because when you do it just becomes harder and harder to get it back.
I'm 38 and I now see a marked increase in my mood and energy level if I exercise. I was running pretty much everyday this winter and spring but I feel out of it for the last couple of months. On Monday of this week I was in a really bad mood right at lunch and as I caught myself reaching for a bad of chips I stopped, went to my bedroom and dusted off my running shoes (I work at home). I've run every day this week since and my mood and energy are 500% better 4 days later.
Great point. I once read a quote that said there are two types of people in the world: dynamic and static. In that light and in my own experience as well, it comes down to how well you can manage and increase energy.
That's a great book, but it's about political philosophy. The two types of people described in the book are dynamists (who embrace change and believe change is a net win) and statists (who want to keep things the way they are now).
Because we lose so much energy in general.
Because we don't take care of ourselves.
OP cites Tony Robbins. Anyone who has ever been to any Tony Robbins event knows that he always starts with health (eating right, exercising, and mental attitude) before addressing anything else. Because he already knows what many don't: if you're not feeling right, nothing else matters.
Almost all of us have ample energy in our teens and twenties. But as we get older, we have to make a conscious effort to maintain energy and vitality. Most people I know in their 30s, 40s, and 50s don't do nearly enough. We slow down, put on weight, and lose energy. It happens so gradually that we barely notice. And we blame everything else: family, finances, lifestyle, etc. And we avoid acknowledging the elephant in the room: it's awfully hard to get passionate about anything when we only have enough energy to plop down in front of the TV with a bag of chips.
Most people I know with the energy to accomplish a lot, regardless of age, take care of themselves, especially those working 2 jobs or running a side business.
All of the other reasons (fear of failure, responsibilities, etc.) make sense, but I wonder how many people don't follow their dreams simply because they've run out of energy by not taking good enough care of themselves.