Establishing Your Health Objective

To define your health objective(s), you can approach it from both macro and micro perspectives. However, it's beneficial to start with one overarching goal that resonates with your wellness philosophy. For instance, "When I turn 95, I want to lift my grandchild for a hug." A successful objective should articulate a desirable outcome clearly. For instance, my personal health aspiration is to thrive for three centuries and surpass my grandfather's push-up record of 20 reps at 92.

Defining a Health Objective

To clarify your health goals, ask yourself, "What outcomes do I truly desire for my health?" The key is to ensure your objective aligns with your core values.

Creating Effective Strategies

Once your objective is set, you can explore suitable strategies to achieve your desired outcome. In military terms, strategy is a collection of concepts meant to accomplish a mission. In health, this translates to defining principles that, if followed, will guide you towards your objectives. Here's a framework to develop effective strategies for a long and healthy life:

• Focus on overarching principles and philosophies
• Organize strategies into categories (e.g., sleep, nutrition)
• Avoid getting bogged down by specific tactics
• Embrace flexibility

For example, when crafting a nutritional strategy, you might consider:

• Prioritizing nutrient-dense foods to stabilize glucose levels
• Ensuring every meal includes a source of protein
• Favoring meals over snacks

These strategies provide room for flexibility while ensuring adherence to your health objectives.

Understanding Tactics

In military contexts, tactics are the specific actions taken to achieve strategic goals. If individuals lack a solid understanding of their mission, their tactics might be misapplied, leading to undesirable outcomes. Similarly, in health, employing a tactic (like Intermittent Fasting) without a clear objective can hinder success. Having a deep understanding of your goals and strategies significantly increases your chances of effectively implementing tactics.

As you progress through life, your tactics will evolve, but your macro objectives should serve as a guiding principle for choosing interventions as you age. You can also create specific protocols for various situations, such as a post-night out routine (e.g., a 30-minute walk the next day) or a nap after a poor night's sleep. Over time, you’ll develop a toolkit of protocols that align with your health goals—an invaluable resource.

Bringing It All Together

In summary, before getting lost in the details, focus on your macro objectives and then devise strategies and tactics aligned with those goals. Understanding your objectives allows for flexibility and autonomy, embodying what Jocko describes as "decentralized command." Establishing guiding principles around your health and wellness can lead to greater adherence and consistency in your approach.

A Step-by-Step Process to Follow:

1. Identify your macro-level objective (what health outcome do you desire?)
2. Develop research-backed strategies to achieve that objective (organize into categories like exercise, nutrition, sleep, etc.)
3. If appropriate, implement effective tactics that align with your strategy. Otherwise, focus on the broader principles.
4. Learn from your experiences to refine your protocols for future use.

Approach your wellness journey with curiosity and a desire to learn and grow.

Keep pushing forward!

Cheers,

Noah Cracknell