Fitness vs Financial Independence

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There are always, and will always, be similarities between getting physically healthy and getting financially healthy. To be effective long term, both require discipline, delayed gratification, and sometimes a long slow journey to the goal. However, while they can be very similar, at times they can also seem at complete odds of one another.
If fitness and FI are so closely related, then why aren’t many more people on this journey, or already at their goal. Let’s take a look at Mr. Money Mustache, arguably the biggest, most well-known name in the FI world, he has a whopping 111k likes on Facebook. Admittedly, all those people probably aren’t on the FI journey, but are at least interested enough to follow along on Facebook. Now, let’s look at someone most of you probably haven’t heard of: Jeremy Buendia. Jeremy is a men’s physique competitor and he has 400k likes on Facebook. Like Mr. Money Mustache, the 400k people who follow him probably aren’t gearing up for a fitness competition, but they are interested enough to follow him. Unfortunately, even though some of us work, live, and breathe Financial Independence, it’s still not mainstream by any means.
The next huge aspect that we believe differs from the FI community and the fitness community is that appearances are everything. These online fitness guru’s are posting pictures of themselves beside Lamborghini’s, Ferarri’s, and exotic cars that they can’t afford and in front of mansions that they don’t even live in. The perception that they have tons of money, and live a lavish lifestyle of fame and luxury, is really a facade put on to sell their shit to more people, to get more clients, or even to feel more successful than they really are. Hell, one of these ‘fitness guru’s’ got their parents to take out a lease on a Lamborghini so he could take pictures with it and drive it around to get more clients. This is the day and the age of the Instagram lifestyle.
On the other-hand, imagine someone like Mr. Money Mustache, Brad or Jonathan from ChooseFI, or even Dave Ramsey striking a pose in front of an exotic car, and not in an ironic way, and plastering it all over social media. The financial guru’s that follow are more likely to strike a pose in front of a beat up Honda Civic than they are a Rolls Royce. While Dave Ramsey has a $6.4 million dollar mansion that’s over 5 and 1/2 times larger than the average house, you don’t see him flaunting it online, if he did, it might would even hurt his fan base…Perception means nothing to the FI community, and if anything we oppose it. Who cares what people think about my car or my house, as long as my family is happy and our needs are being met, then I’m happy.
The next way that they differ, are the products that get them to their goals. A financial independence follower is likely utilizing some or all of these: 401k, IRA, after tax investment account, and if you want to get crazy, real estate. The same 3 or 4 things are widely used, and used correctly. Sure, someone may dabble in some side-hustling, or travel hacking, but year after year, the investments remain the same. People aren’t jumping from stock to stock, or jumping from company to company multiple times to try to get the best offerings.
Fitness aficionados on the other hand are always trying the latest and greatest. I can’t tell you how often the same assholes would come in the GNC that I worked at and would try product after product, week after week, month after month, despite my efforts to get them to stick to 1 or 2 products and focus on their diet and exercise. After all those products, and all that money, they looked the exact same. They were looking for a solution in a bottle and were trying every new protein, fat-burner, pre-workout, and snake oil that we put on the shelf. Even the people that are pushing the shit are bouncing around from product to product, brand to brand. Whoever pays them the most is what they’ll push, whether they use it or not.
Both health and wealth are noble causes. They are both also much less complicated than the general population tries to make it seem. You don’t have to buy the winning stock or invest in crypto at the right time and make millions overnight. Just like you don’t have to find the right fat-burner or meal replacement to get the body of your dreams. Neither of these options are realistic or effective. The same tried and true methods work for just about anyone, and have for decades. Spend less than you earn. Eat less than you burn.
If you are interested in more information about getting financially and physically healthy, be sure to check out some of our articles below:
9 Fitness Side-Hustles
New Years Resolution Guide to: Physical Health
New Years Resolution Guide to: Financial Health
Health is Wealth: Frugal Fitness Guide