Exercise Is Valuable

Paul Kang

We all know that exercise is good for physical health, and my psychology classes and personal experiences have proven that it is good for mental health, but there is evidence that shows that it also linked to a higher income. 

Many people do not know if they should exercise because they feel like their time could be used for something more productive and helpful for the future.  My college friend’s mother thought that exercising was “stupid” because it is unlikely for it to help out one’s career.   She said that her son and I should just study hard to make money, but she obviously did not study much psychology.  Although attending a gym can be time-consuming and expensive, it can make all that time and money worth it. 

A recent article spoke of a study that researched a sample of 5042 Finnish twin males, aiming to discover the direct effects of physical activities on long-term income.  Over 15 years, the results showed that physically active males received 14-17% higher incomes than less active males. 

If you think about it, it makes perfect sense.  Exercise leads to endorphin release and greater physical attractiveness, and that builds self-esteem and self-confidence.  The authors argued that the love for one’s self may encourage perseverance, social skills and participation in competitive situations within the working environment. 

The authors controlled for other external factors that may influence income.  More research is needed to see if it may differ among other countries, and women should be included as well.  I have asked many physically active people, male and female, about their thoughts on exercise, and a negative attitude towards it must be extremely rare or absent because I have not encountered a single physically active person that is negative about exercise.  Positive attitude itself cannot guarantee higher income, but how can you trust someone who is not happy about his/her life?  I know I can’t.  I will trust a physically fit and happy person to produce results in any situation over someone who is not physically fit and unhappy.

References:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-the-neighborhood/201308/is-exercise-the-answer-higher-income