We live in a culture that celebrates independence. The rugged frontier hero. The self-made entrepreneur. The person who builds something from nothing and stands firmly on their own two feet.
But here’s the big contradiction — and it may stop you in your tracks:
If we value independence so much, why is it that when it comes to the single most important thing we will ever own — our health — we so often hand over the keys?
This is what I call the self-reliance paradox.
Following Without a Destination
Instead of truly taking charge, we tend to passively follow whatever is new. We listen to our doctors, yes, but we also chase the latest celebrity diet or try the trend we just heard about on a podcast.
The problem? As Dr. David Quartell has seen in decades of practice, this approach almost always ends in failure.
Why? Because we’re making decisions without having any clue where we’re going.
It’s like trying to use a map without knowing your destination. It just doesn’t work.
The Danger of Chasing Symptoms
Without clear goals, we fall into reactive thinking:
“I don’t have symptoms, so I must be healthy.”
But that’s a dangerous way to live. It’s like owning a home and never thinking about fire safety until smoke is already filling the rooms.
You would never build a skyscraper and then decide to install sprinklers after the first fire. That would be insane. So why on earth do we approach our bodies the same way?
True health is not the absence of sickness. It’s the presence of strength, resilience, and vitality.
Redefining Health
The real question isn’t, “How do I avoid being sick?”
The real question is: What does it mean to be healthy?
Health is more than symptom-free survival. It’s a proactive pursuit of optimal wellbeing — physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally.
And here’s the key: what that looks like is unique to you.
- For a 25-year-old mom with two kids, it’s different than
- For a 64-year-old man with an arthritic knee.
There is no single playbook.
Marcus Aurelius and the Hard Path
The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius once wrote:
“The challenges themselves — the things that feel hard, the things you want to avoid — that is the path.”
Building a resilient body and mind takes work. There’s no pill, no shortcut. But the payoff is real.
Health is not a problem to solve — it’s a journey to go on.
Your Health Map
Every journey needs a map, and that map only has two parts:
- Know exactly where you’re going. (Your crystal-clear health goals.)
- Know exactly where you’re starting. (An honest inventory of your current state.)
Your first step depends entirely on where you are today. Starting from California vs. New York makes all the difference if your destination is Kansas.
So the question is: Do you truly know where your journey begins?
Next Step: Your Blueprint for Health
This is exactly the framework I lay out in my book, The Body User Manual. It’s a guide to taking back control of your health, redefining what wellness really means, and creating your own roadmap for lifelong resilience.
Want to dive deeper? 🎧
If you’d like to hear more on this topic, head over to our podcast! You can find it here:
Youtube : https://youtu.be/MbR0-NjNM10
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4dHL74VR74GFIHqsFjr4bl?si=d8863a742c1e4b26