Dear Thomas, James, and Margot,
There are things in life that don’t seem urgent until they are. Health is one of them. When you're young, it’s easy to take your strength for granted. Your energy feels endless, your body feels unbreakable, and your mind is sharp without effort. But as time passes, the wear begins to show. And suddenly the foundation you’ve built—through your habits, your choices, your discipline—becomes the difference between a vibrant life and one lived in limitation.
I want you to understand that taking care of your body and your mind is not just something you do for today. It’s something you do to protect your future. Not because you’re afraid of aging, but because you respect what’s coming. You want to meet the future with strength and vitality, not regret and chronic pain. The decisions you make now will compound. Just like interest in a bank account, small acts of care and discipline grow into powerful reserves that you’ll draw on for the rest of your life.
Let’s talk about your body first. You only get one—and it keeps score. Every injury you ignore, every bad habit you justify, every reckless decision you repeat—it all adds up. But so does every time you stretch, every time you train with intelligence, every time you choose rest instead of burnout. Real strength is not about pushing your body to its breaking point. It’s about building it for endurance. It's about being able to play with your kids someday, to hike mountains in your 60s, to wake up without pain in your back or stiffness in your knees.
Stretch every single day. Not because you’re sore, but because flexibility is freedom. Take care of your joints and your spine—they are the silent heroes of movement. Respect your hips and knees. Protect your lower back. Build your core for stability and resilience, not vanity. Prioritize balance, posture, and functional strength. Train like someone who wants to be healthy at 80, not impressive at 30.
Sleep is sacred. Recovery is not weakness. Energy is not something you borrow—it’s something you build. Move every day. Walk, run, bike, lift, swim—whatever makes you feel alive—but don’t let exercise become punishment. Let it be a ritual of love for yourself.
And fuel matters. Food isn’t just about how you look—it’s about how you live. Learn to understand what your body needs. Learn how it burns fuel. Learn your macros—protein for structure, carbs for fuel, fats for function. Pay attention to how you feel after you eat. Your body is always telling you the truth. Eat real food. Prioritize quality. Limit processed junk. You don’t need to obsess, but you do need to be intentional. Energy starts with how you feed your cells. Vitality begins in the gut and echoes through every system in your body.
Now let’s talk about your mind—because it’s just as important, and even more delicate.
You must protect your mental health with the same devotion you give to your physical health. Your mind is where your reality begins. The stories you tell yourself, the thoughts you nurture, the energy you absorb—these things shape your perspective and, eventually, your life. If you feed your mind negativity, fear, comparison, or resentment, you will live in a world of limitation. But if you choose thoughts of optimism, courage, curiosity, and gratitude, you create a world where almost anything is possible.
Be mindful of what you put in your brain. This includes the media you consume, the conversations you entertain, the language you use with yourself. But it also includes the substances you rely on. Don’t reach too quickly for pills, for highs, for numbing agents. Your brain is an extraordinary machine. It is capable of recovery, of rebalancing, of transformation—if you treat it well. Keep it clear. Keep it awake.
And keep it growing. Read every day. Question what you hear. Learn for the sake of learning. Be the kind of person who is still curious at 70. The sharpest minds are not always the most educated—they are the most engaged. Keep your brain busy with beauty, with ideas, with deep thought, with creativity. Speak less, listen more. Write things down. Reflect often.
Your body will carry you. Your mind will guide you. But both must be trained, cared for, and respected. Don’t wait until they start to fail to begin that work. Begin now. Build the habits, even if they feel unnecessary today. Someday, you’ll look back and realize you built a foundation that carried you through a rich, long, and vibrant life.
And that’s what I want for you. Not just to live, but to thrive. To wake up each day with strength in your body, clarity in your mind, and peace in your heart.
I love you beyond measure,
Dad
I hope today’s letter reminds you that health isn’t a trend—it’s a gift to your future self. The way you move, rest, eat, and think doesn’t just shape your days—it shapes your decades.
We publish episodes every weekday, including True North letters on Mondays, designed to help you live with more strength, intention, and love.
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Stay strong, stay steady, and I’ll see you tomorrow.
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