We Know What’s Healthy. So Why Don’t We Do It?

The real reason we don’t follow healthy habits is not lack of knowledge — it’s lack of a big enough purpose.


Last Sunday, I went to a street-side book vendor and noticed a guy wearing a retro-style cap and sunglasses walk up as well. We had a brief chat, and he casually mentioned that he was buying books for his 90-year-old girlfriend.

(He might have been joking — but honestly, it didn’t feel that way.)

That one line sent my mind in so many directions.

1. Someone at 90, still active and still reading.

2. A girlfriend at that age — I mean, the relationship must have gone through so much. Both of them clearly invested in life and each other to make it till here.

3. The sheer energy and freshness that guy carried.

Then, just last week, while travelling to Mangalore for a friend’s wedding, I happened to cross paths with a Kannada actress — Geetha Suratkal. I learnt who she was during our conversation. She might be in her 70s now.

The first thing I noticed — she wasn’t wearing reading glasses or any kind of specs.
The second — her energy. Happy, smiley, warm.
She mentioned she still travels for work.

She also shared that she’s a retired bank employee and even while working full-time, she used to do theatre. If you’ve seen Sapne vs Everyone, she reminded me of Prashanth — managing a day job while still nurturing passion on the side.

And then this morning, a thought hit me.

We — almost all of us — know what’s good for our health and happiness. For our body, mind, and overall well-being.
Yet, many of us struggle to follow it.
While for a select few, that way of living feels effortless — almost automatic.

Maybe the problem isn’t that we don’t know what to eat, how to sleep, or when to exercise.

Maybe we don’t need to force healthy habits at all.

Maybe what we really need is something meaningful to move towards.

Have a purpose. A goal. A reason.

When you’re training for a marathon, you automatically move towards healthier food, better sleep, and early mornings.
When you’re preparing for a competitive exam, distractions reduce on their own, stressors are filtered out, and you naturally prioritise focus, rest, and mental clarity.

Yesterday, I was listening to ideas from the book 10x Is Better Than 2x. One thought stood out — big goals shape behaviour.
When the dream is big enough, the path becomes clearer. And while walking that path, taking care of your body and mind stops feeling like a task — it just becomes part of the journey.