Vitality: The Resource that Fuels a Thriving Career
Juan Gonzalez | Issue 003: The Hidden Cost of Success | June 30th, 2025
If you look in the dictionary, you'll find vitality described as "a person's capacity to live, grow, or develop". It also refers to having energy and being active.
But it goes beyond that especially when it comes to business pursuits.
It's not just having more energy to be more productive and clocking in more hours at work. It also fosters resilience, creativity, and a proactive approach to pursuing goals.
Let's go beyond the surface and see what three-dimensional (3D) vitality looks like:
The Building Blocks of Vitality
1. Physical Vitality: The Foundation of Productivity
2. Mental Vitality: The Fuel for Achievement
3. Emotional Vitality: The Cornerstone of Resilience
Physical Vitality
Physical vitality forms the foundation of a productive workday. Without it, you could have the best laid out plans and the perfect strategies in place but it all would be in vain.
As I've said many times before, it's not about "time management", it's about "energy management".
But we can't have all the energy needed to accomplish our bold business goals if we're neglecting our body.
Here you don't need to go crazy and "bio hack" your way to vitality. Stick to the fundamentals:
Proper nutrition.
Regular movement.
Rest & recovery.
When your body thrives, your work follows suit.
Mental Vitality
Your cognitive resources determine if you can navigate challenges with swiftness or fall behind.
Especially in our current world where we're all bombarded with distractions by the minute, it's important to cultivate our focus and develop the skill of "deep work".
Much in the same way that we have to take care of our body, we have to take care of our brain.
Practices like meditation and journaling are now quite common and for good reason. They allow the brain the space it needs to pause, to gather ideas, and to give the subconscious time to mull over problems.
Vitality here is also the disposition to acquire new knowledge, consider different perspectives, and cultivate curiosity. All necessary aspects to succeed in our entrepreneurial pursuits.
Emotional Vitality
Here's what most people have felt but haven't realized: You can feel drained even if you slept well the night before, had all your meals, and are well hydrated.
That type of tiredness you don't feel in your body or mind. It's one you can feel after you had a difficult conversation with a spouse, business partner, or coworker.
Your emotional vitality shapes how you respond to setbacks and relate with others.
You need to develop the ability to differentiate those who "sap" your energy to those who "zap" you with it. This comes down to a few things:
Self-awareness.
Developing meaningful connections.
Setting healthy boundaries.
Protecting it with these practices helps you stay in the game long enough to see the results you’re after without quitting along the way.
Bonus: Purposeful Vitality
Purpose injects a type of vitality that is unlike anything else. Whether it is your personal or professional life, everything gets enhanced when you're aligned with your purpose.
Purpose is that energy that compels you to move forward. It pulls you out of your comfort zone. You don't have to muster the energy to push yourself forward every time.
It's not fleeting motivation, it's sustained determination.
It's what Simon Sinek says about starting with your "why". Or what the Japanese call "Ikigai".
Whether that “why” is about impacting the world at scale or just impacting your world and that of others around you, purpose will take you farther than you could on your own.
Vitality as your Competitive Advantage
Developing full dimensional vitality in your life is not a "one and done" event. Like a race where you can sprint towards the finish line. It is a lifestyle.
You can develop it through consistent and intentional practices and habits.
For example, here's what you can do right away to strengthen the different areas of your vitality:
Start with small habits: A 10 minute meditation at the start of the day. A gentle stretch to unwind for the day. A breathing exercise to refocus the mind.
Audit your networks: Evaluate the personal and professional circles you spend time and energy on. Are these connections uplifting or draining?
Invest in continuous learning: Vitality wanes in monotonous settings. Shake things up a bit and improve your mental flexibility by getting exposed to new ideas. This will help you keep the brain sharp and adept to face new challenges.
With these practices, vitality doesn't just become another business buzzword or feel-good concept, it transforms into a tangible asset.
Let this newfound and rediscovered energy carry you forward.
Let it boost your momentum, be the wind in your sails, and invigorate not just your work, but also the lives you will impact through it.
This essay was featured in Issue 003: The Hidden Cost of Success. Read the Full Publication
Juan Gonzalez is a contributing writer for The Sacred Business Writer’s Collective focused on helping creative professionals overcome barriers to authentic self-expression. You can follow him on Substack here.
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