In this podcast, we discuss steps to maintain a high-performance, high-energy lifestyle as we get older. More specifically, creating a life where you feel great, more fulfilled, and more joyful as well as creating a legacy with not just your wealth but your health and outlook on life for generations to come.   Our audience is high-performing professionals and pilots, BUT we all go through times where we are not performing at our peak; mentally, spiritually, physically. Especially as we age...   Now is a unique and stressful time for airline pilots, corporate, cargo, and commercial pilots. Most major airlines are under contract negotiations –stressful! Flights have been full, chronically late with angry passengers. Flying has not been a fun place to be in the last 2 years –post-Covid.   Ron Broyles is our guest today because he is walking the walk. He is 69 and full of life, energy, joy, and fulfillment.   How do we as pilots maintain the mental and emotional toughness to maintain our quality of lives, enjoy our families and feel a sense of joy and peace during these difficult airline times?   Why bother with health, nutrition, positive mental attitude?

1. We are in a race...we are meant for growth. It is as if we are in a highly competitive game or fighting for our peace of mind, focus, finances, health, and joy and we don’t even know it.
   1. Every entity in our lives is fighting against us having those things, and we are not fighting back. We know this as being intentional or proactive.
      1. Marketing agencies, social media, news media are fighting for your time, money, attention –your mind and they are playing with PhD level minds and huge supplies of money.
   2. We are not equipping ourselves to win!
   3. We need to be intentional about training to win the fight.
2. We need to take proactive, aggressive steps to live a life of purpose on purpose.
3. Why not? Choose your “hard”...Life is hard when you eat right and exercise and choose to be joyful. Life is much harder when you simply drift along allowing life to happen to you.
4. You will leave a legacy in every aspect of your life whether you know it or not.
5. Your health is your wealth!

Seven practical steps for maintaining physical, spiritual, and mental health:

1. Realize you are one or two choices away each day for either building a great life or living a life of mediocrity or worse chronic unhappiness and bad health.
2. Healthy relationships and accountability partnerships.
   1. Ask someone to help you stay on track. Similar to AA and Weight watchers. More importantly, someone you can share your feelings with –seriously!
      1. Men are especially bad at this and it’s bad for your health.
   2. Get a workout instructor.
   3. See a counselor.
3. Don’t minimize your emotional health – Do not try to John Wayne through it!
   1. Be intentional about the feelings you want – Happy, joyful, peace, love, anger...
   2. Studies have even shown that unhealthy anger in its repressed state has been linked to cancer.
   3. Sigmund Freud – “unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.”
   4. This is one of the most underestimated keys to our quality of life.
4. Nutrition - Read the labels on your food and understand what you are eating.
   1. You can’t outwork your bad eating habits as you get older!
5. An attitude of gratitude leads to a healthy life!
   1. Write down three things a day
6. Give! Give away some of your money, some of your time or both. Your perspective will change.
7. The importance of physical activity and exercise!

Links to some of Ron’s Adventures:

• https://coronadotimes.com/news/2013/07/17/1986-flashback-thrill-junkie-ron-broyles-jumps-from-coronado-bridge-from-limo-roof-video/ 
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaXM7WmIuQg
• https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-15-me-bike15-story.html
• https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/15/us/stuntman-scales-tower.html
• https://www.knoxnews.com/news/local/mad-jack-fielden-turned-furniture-sales-into-stunt-work-ep-360004879-356614601.html https://newspaperarchive.com/altoona-mirror-mar-15-1983-p-24/

Books or Podcasts that we mentioned or recommend on this topic:

• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• The Power of One More, The Ultimate Guide to Happiness and Success
  • Ed Mylett
• The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek
• Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us
  • Michael Moss
• Sickening: How Big Pharma Broke American Health Care and How We Can Repair It.
  • John Abramson, MD, MSc
• Can’t Hurt Me
  • David Goggins
• Favorite podcasts
  • Ed Mylett –The Ed Mylett Show
  • Jon Gordon –Positive University Podcast