Financial Health and Body Health: The Parallel We Can’t Ignore

Let’s draw a parallel for a moment: think about finances and our body’s health.

We live in a world where we want quick fixes.

We want our investments to boom overnight and our waistlines to slim down by morning. But, like any seasoned investor knows, there’s no substitute for hard, strategic work when it comes to money.

The same rule applies to our health.

Enter Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical giant with over a century of history, that’s witnessing unprecedented growth because of two major drugs: Ozempic and Wegovy. These drugs are designed to treat Type 2 diabetes and weight loss. They mimic GLP-1 receptors in our bodies, regulating blood sugar levels and curbing appetite. Their success? A testament to society’s hunt for shortcuts.

Just within three months in 2022, U.S. health-care providers wrote over 9 million prescriptions for these drugs and other diabetes-related medications. By the end of 2022, Ozempic alone held the lion’s share, boasting 65% of total prescriptions.

While it’s impressive, let’s not ignore the bigger picture. Taking a drug might help you manage your weight or diabetes, but it’s not eradicating the root problem. Similarly, in the realm of finances, if you’re spending more money than you earn, no amount of investing or side hustling will fix that foundational problem. The solution is understanding the core issue and putting in the deep work to address it.

Let’s draw another parallel: Novo Nordisk holds a patent on their products until 2032, giving them exclusivity in the U.S. market. But other corporations like Eli Lilly and Pfizer are also diving into the GLP-1 arena, racing to get their slice of the pie. Why? Because there’s money in giving people shortcuts. It’s like the wave of investing apps and platforms that promise high returns with little effort. They cater to the human instinct to want more without necessarily putting in the hard work.

But here’s the bottom line: there are no shortcuts.

You must do the work. A drug might control symptoms, but it’s the daily choices – nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle – that determine overall wellness. Similarly, it’s not about how much you earn, but how you manage, save, and invest wealth that determines financial health. Compounded consistency of good choices over time.

As driven individuals, understanding this core concept is crucial. Quick fixes are tempting, but they often don’t bring long-term solutions. In both health and finances, doing the hard work, staying consistent, and being strategic in your choices are the true game-changers.

So, the next time you think about that quick investment or that magic pill for your “too good to be true moment”, remember: shortcuts often cut your journey short.