If you know me, you’ll know that one of the most important things in my life is my vitality.

It’s what allows me to show up each day with energy, clarity, strength, and optimism.

It’s what drives my ability to be present, train hard, recover quickly, think clearly, and lead effectively.

It’s what empowers me to turn adversity into wisdom and opportunity.

Our vitality is what keeps us grounded when the going gets tough, and it’s also what propels us forward when we’re striving for more. Yet, it’s often the first thing people neglect when life starts to spiral out of control.4

Instead of focusing on the one thing they can truly influence — their well-being — they become obsessed with what they can’t control, leaving themselves scattered and depleted.

But vitality isn’t just about surviving tough times; it’s what fuels you to reach new heights. Without it, it’s impossible to sustain growth or reach your full potential.

It’s the foundation that allows you to grow stronger, clearer, and more resilient — capable of going beyond what you thought possible.

As we touched on last week, sometimes, the winds of change blow fiercely, and the seas of circumstance become choppy. And while we can’t always control the things outside of our control, we can always control how we respond to them.

We can always control our next step.

And this is where our vitality — and more specifically, our ability to LEAD becomes not just important, but crucial.

When you’re caught in the whirlwind of change or chaos, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, to slip back into bad habits, or even to feel like giving up — especially when you’re operating from a place of low vitality.

But when you’ve built a strong foundation of vitality, you have the resourcefulness to weather these challenges abd storms.

You have the physical energy to keep going when others might quit.

You have the mental clarity to find solutions where others see only problems.

You have the emotional resilience to stay calm and focused when others panic.

And you have the spiritual depth to maintain faith, even when the world seems to be spinning out of control.

In my work with clients, I often use the metaphor of a sailboat to explain the concept of vitality.

The boat can be broken down into four key parts — the sails, the crew, the hull and the keel. Each part represents a different value that keeps the boat, and by extension, our lives, moving in the right direction.

The keel, in particular, represents our vitality. It’s the deep, weighted fin beneath the boat that ensures stability, preventing the boat from tipping over. But its role goes beyond just keeping the boat upright, the keel also acts as a counterbalance to the wind in the sails, allowing the boat to harness that energy and sail faster and further.

In the same way, our vitality provides the balance we need to move forward, even when life’s challenges are pushing against us.

And much like the keel, vitality is something you don’t truly appreciate until it’s compromised — until it fails you when you need it most. When that happens, everything else comes to a standstill until you can restore it.

I learned this lesson the hard way.

There was a time when nearly every part of my life felt like it was crashing down, all because I neglected my vitality in the pursuit of my goals.

Now, people come to me because I lead my life in a different way — balancing the demands of entrepreneurship with my passion for ultra trail running and living life to its fullest.

Vitality is not just something I pursue; it’s an integral part of how I lead, live and thrive.

This is why vitality is the keel of our ship. It’s the stabilising force that not only keeps me upright and on course but also helps me harness life’s energy, enabling me to sail faster and further than I ever thought possible.

But something I want to make clear here, is that when I speak about vitality — I’m not just referring to our physical health. It certainly plays a part, but the reality is that vitality is a multidimensional force that includes physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Here’s how I break it down:

• Physical vitality: The energy and strength that allow you to take on whatever comes your way. It’s your ability to push your limits, recover quickly, and feel ready for the challenges ahead.
• Mental vitality: The clarity and focus that keeps you organised, sharp, and optimistic. It’s your ability to think clearly, solve problems, and stay present in the moment.
• Emotional vitality: The resilience that keeps you grounded, confident, and open — even when things get tough. It’s your ability to handle setbacks and maintain balance without shutting down.
• Spiritual vitality: Your connection to something bigger — a sense of purpose, faith, and belief in a meaningful life. It’s what keeps you steady, even when things seem to be working against you.

When all these aspects of vitality are strong and in balance, you become unstoppable. You have the energy to pursue your passions, the mental clarity to make wise choices, the emotional resilience to weather storms, and the sense of purpose to keep you moving in the right direction.

But it’s important to understand that focusing on vitality isn’t just about where we want to grow or what comes naturally. Some people find it easy to double down on running or meditation, but that doesn’t necessarily mean those areas need their focus. We all have things that feel easy or familiar, but those might not be where the greatest growth lies.

Because as important as it is to recognise where we want to grow, we also need to identify what to nurture — and what to let go. Sometimes, it’s about cutting back on habits, commitments, or even relationships that drain us, just as much as it’s about getting in the gym to build physical vitality or spending time in nature (away from screens and podcasts!) to improve mental clarity.

The beauty of this approach is focus.

It allows us to direct our energy where it matters most, creating harmony between the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of our lives and allowing each one to support and enhance the other.

That’s how real strength is built — when all parts of your vitality are working together to guide you towards your highest aims, potential, purpose and joy in life.

To put this into practice, there are two steps that we can take.

1) Take some time to reflect on which aspect of your vitality needs the most attention right now.

Perhaps you’re constantly feeling drained or struggling to find energy — then your physical vitality is what you should focus on.

If you’re finding it difficult to stay focused, or to be present for your loved ones — your mental vitality is calling for your attention.

When your focus no longer serves you like it used to, or you’re constantly feeling overwhelmed, reactive and prone to throwing in the towel — your emotional vitality is where you should drop in more (or less!).

Identify which area, if strengthened, would have the most positive impact on your overall well-being at this moment.

2) Once identified, ask yourself: What is one thing I can implement, minimise or even eliminate to boost this aspect of my vitality by 10x? (think big here!)

The key here is to identify something that (if fully committed to!) could have a transformative impact on your chosen aspect of vitality. Something that could truly make you feel ten times more energised, focused, resilient, or purposeful.

Remember, this isn’t about making sweeping, overnight changes across all areas of your life. It’s about making one conscious, powerful choice that can significantly impact your vitality. It’s about choosing what to water intensively, and what to let go of completely.

So, take that moment now. Reflect. Choose. And then, most importantly, act with intention.

Because your vitality — your ability to not just survive, but to truly thrive and excel — depends on the choices you make today.