Back in 1998 I had a conversation with a very successful businessman and during our time together I learned that he had dropped about 50 lbs and was working on a few more. He'd adjusted his diet and gave up a couple bad habits. (This isn't a weight management post. It just happens to involve a person's discipline as it pertained to his weight.)
He said "Tony, I can't control what other people think. It doesn't matter if I think it is wrong, BUT it's my observation that society discriminates against big people. Look at who gets opportunities and they are more often not overweight. I've built this business with discipline and hard work and I want to be in position for more opportunities down the road. When I look around at what I can control that could impact my future opportunities, I realized that I could do something about my weight. So, I had a choice. I could remain as I was and disagree with people that discriminate against me, or I can control what I can control and avoid that obstacle all together. I decided to do what I could do."
I haven't kept in contact with this person over the years but I am aware of them and see them occasionally. He HAS been given more and bigger opportunities and is thriving. I'm not sure if his decision to control his weight specifically played into these opportunities but I am certain that his mindset to control what he can control has been a driver of his success professionally and personally.
