People keep saying health is wealth, but what do they mean by this exactly? Is this a comment on how healthy expendable organs and body parts can be sold for more if you’re in perfect health? Does having a BMI in the healthy range line you up for promotions? These are the kind of things that probably got you to the Google search that leads you here. And while the answer to these questions is a hopefully obvious “No”, let’s get down to why your health is key to your success.

First, let’s define “health”. Circling back to Google, health is “the state of being free from illness or injury.'' Expounding further, there are also different aspects of health namely:  physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual and environmental health. With that definition in mind and the various types of health we are responsible for maintaining, we can infer that maintaining good health also means you’re fit to work and able to make good and sound decisions. There are many indicators of success that vary from person to person, but the means to achieve that heavily rely on the main instrument you use: your body.

Maintaining your physical health means you won’t miss any productive or recreational days since sick days are stressful and require effort to overcome. It’s also tied to how long you get to stay tethered to the world around us, which is also the amount of time you’re allowed to strive for your success. Improving your physical health can also allow you to do more of certain things since you can have more stamina, more physical strength and access to more positive changes in your body that can be very self-rewarding.

Being mentally and emotionally healthy means you can work without any baggage weighing you down or any feeling of being burnt out with your work. It can also help you maintain composure and make better and more impartial judgment calls when you need to make the tough decisions. Your self-esteem can also help you project yourself and arm you with the self-confidence to keep going and pave the way to your success.

Social health refers to your ability to form meaningful relationships and interact with others in a healthy and positive way. It can be tied to your self-esteem and self-confidence, however, it is unique in the sense that you and the others around you are responsible for maintaining and improving the bonds that tie people together and allow for a collaborative approach to achieving your goals.

Environmental health, although focused on the man-made and natural environment that can affect your own health, is by extension also your own responsibility to maintain, protect and assess. If you work in construction, for example, you need to make sure you’re working in a safe area while also making sure you’re using the appropriate safety equipment to keep yourself safe. Even our own homes need to be cleaned to avoid dust buildup that affects our physical health and clutter that can be a detriment to our mental and emotional health.

Lastly, spiritual health is about things that go beyond the self. It’s about having a sense of purpose, transcendence, and self-actualization. You don’t need to subscribe to a religion to form your own beliefs, but some may prefer the guided approach it allows for. In the end, it’s great for that extra push that gets you going as success isn’t always about tangible metrics for success.