I was reading SUCCESS magazine the other day because it’s recently had an overhaul. The subhead below SUCCESS says, “What Achievers Read” and I was curious to see what kind of brain splitting articles I would read about the latest strategies for climbing the business ladder and leery about articles that would tell me about the absolute uncompromising focus I would have to commit to my goals. What I was pleasantly surprised to find were titles surrounding well being and yes, balance. I was thrilled.

Even SUCCESS magazine gets it. Not only do they get it but one of their first articles talks about charting your course for success by “being aware of you health metrics” and “be proactive by checking your numbers at the physician’s office or even at health fairs or wellness expos…”  Wow. The success game has come a long way. This article talked about optimal results for body mass index, total cholesterol HDL (good cholesterol), LDL and blood pressure.  Healthy words for achievers, right?  

A neighboring article took a chapter right out of the LifeHealth book and addressed absenteeism in the workplace.  According to a study the SUCCESS article Fit to Work cites from Obesity Epidemiology, “absenteeism from obesity alone cost employers $2.4 billion in 1998” and the figure has certainly increased in subsequent years. Businesses can’t go on pretending that people will get healthy on their own when the only reinforcements at work are business related. Companies need to infuse the workplace with support mechanisms that demonstrate work-life balance. If a success magazine for achievers boasts a connection between fitness and performance, shouldn’t employers begin to connect the dots?