Balancing Wealth and Wellness Isn’t a Tradeoff— It’s a System
- Nov 12
- 3 min read
By Jeff Schmidt
In 2021 I sold my company and joined the acquiring organization. It was the milestone I’d worked toward for years; the pinnacle of the mountain (or so I thought). The weeks that followed exposed an uncomfortable truth: my definition of success was unsustainable and my identity was shallow. I was still operating as if I was the owner of the company, which caused a considerable amount of friction both personally and professionally.
I continued to sprint at the pace I did as a business owner, stacking calls and meetings, eating whatever was convenient and quick, and telling myself I’d get to the gym “later” or “tomorrow”. One afternoon I realized I wasn’t choosing how my day looked, my calendar was. If I wanted a different outcome long term, I had to design it.
That was the defining moment: I printed out a sign that said, “RELAX. This is not your business anymore.” That sign still hangs next to my computer today. From that point forward, I decided to build my days around health first, business second. How would this impact my life and role with the acquiring company moving forward? Would clients think I was less available? Would my team feel I’d stepped back? Would I lose momentum in a role where visibility matters? Surprisingly, only positive results followed.
First, I made daily movement and exercise a non-negotiable. From 12:00PM-1:00PM, every weekday, I block a non-negotiable training window. It sits on my calendar like a meeting because it has the same strategic purpose: it resets my nervous system, sharpens my focus, and reduces burnout. I don’t apologize for it. By treating training as infrastructure rather than an afterthought, I removed the decision fatigue that would often result in me putting off time at the gym.
Second, I systematized nutrition. Entrepreneurs burn a lot of mental energy on choices that don’t move the needle, so why waste any additional brainpower thinking about your meals? I built a simple, repeatable meal framework. Breakfast is coffee (intermittent fasting until lunch), pre-gym is a smoothie stacked with protein, vegetables, and berries. Pro tip; use frozen broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and you barely taste them in a smoothie. Dinner became lean proteins, vegetables, and occasionally some complex carbohydrates. Is it boring? Sure, but shifting my mindset from food to fuel was a game changer. The tangible benefits show up later in the day when the hard calls land on my desk and my brain is still sharp.
Third, I integrated supplements and recovery into the system. I plan sleep, hydration, and recovery practices on the calendar, not as “nice to have” items but as inputs to performance. The same bed time every night. The same meal time for dinner. It’s all a system. In my opinion, longevity is the ultimate ROI, and you can’t manage what you don’t measure. Treating recovery as an investment changed how I show up for clients, for my team, and for my family.
Fourth, I protected my mornings. Each day begins with reflection, journaling, and prayer. Setting your mind and intention for the day is a game changer. Don’t start your day on somebody else’s terms, i.e. checking emails. Start it with stillness and mindfulness.
Finally, I redefined what success looks like. Wealth without health and balance is meaningless.
If you’re tempted to try this, start small and build systems, not goals:
Put one immovable health block on your calendar and defend it, like your life depends on it (it does).
Standardize two meals a day to remove friction. Consider intermittent fasting.
Schedule down time. Your recovery should be a priority.
Begin the morning with 10-15 minutes of mindfulness work.
I exited in 2021, but my life didn’t change until I was intentional about designing it. Health is not a byproduct of success; it’s a system that you operate within. My advice to entrepreneurs is to take that first step today. You won’t regret it.
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