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January 25, 2011

Jack Lalanne - The Essence of Vitality

Coach Training, Community of Coaching, Entrepreneur OneSource, Executive Coaching, Leadership Coaching, Life Coaching, Mentor Coaching, Organizational Wholeness, Human Wholeness,  

While yesterday’s news about the passing of 96-year-old fitness guru Jack Lalanne saddened me it also compelled me to blog about him and reflect on what exactly is vitality. In my mind, I always thought of Jack Lalanne as someone who would live forever. In fact, he is quoted to have said, “Dying would wreck my image." I can remember seeing him on TV demonstrating an exercise machine, which was this vibrating belt around his waist & hips, and his wife demonstrating leg lifts.

What comes to mind when you think about your own vitality? I reflected on this for myself and came up with good eating habits, exercise, and healthy lifestyle.  Then I looked up the word in Webster’s Dictionary and the meaning that really struck me is “the capacity for survival or continuation of a meaningful or purposeful existence.”   Now say those words to yourself “the capacity for survival or continuation of a meaningful or purposeful existence.”  Vitality is powerful and thought provoking. It is not a quick fix, or a well-intentioned New Years resolution; it is the ability to incorporate habits, behaviors and practices for a lifetime.  It also invites you to align these practices to what you intend for a meaningful and purposeful existence. 

So I’ll ask you, what is your capacity for survival or continuation of a meaningful or purposeful existence?  What possibilities rise up for you with you think of vitality from this context? 

Although the earlier vibrating waist & hip belt machines are antiquated today, Jack Lalanne was the market maker for fitness and exercise; he was also a thought leader and in my opinion the essence of vitality.  Thank you Jack Lalanne for enabling this discussion – may you rest in peace as your legacy lives on.