“healthy, wealth and wise”

As entrepreneurs, we often throw ourselves into our work with such intensity that we neglect the very foundations that allow us to perform at our best. I’ve learned the hard way that success is not just about the hustle. It’s about balance, and it starts by focusing on ourselves.

Russell Dalgleish at the Elche Night Race

It can sound selfish to place more attention on ourselves than others but it is essential if you want to deliver your vision. Maintaining good mental and physical health requires proactive management of all aspects of our life — these is no quick fix here.

First, health. Without strong physical and mental health, everything else crumbles. Build habits that keep your body strong and your mind clear, regular exercise, decent sleep, balanced nutrition, and time away from the screen. Equally, invest in your mental resilience: talk through challenges with a coach, take breaks, and protect time for family and friends. Your business can’t thrive if you burn yourself out.

For me this means, following a life plan that prioritises my mental health above all, ensuring that the family events take priority above all in my calendar and that I regularly set physical targets to keep me focused on my health. This years athletic goal is to complete a marathon in November, beat my time of 4hours 34 minutes and be fully recovered within 24 hours! With a solid, training plan this is achievable!

Second, wealth. I’m not talking about yachts and sports cars I mean your personal financial stability. Far too many entrepreneurs put their entire future at risk by ignoring personal finances while chasing growth. Avoid unnecessary debt, build a buffer, and know your numbers. If your personal finances are in order, you can make better decisions in business without the constant pressure of needing the next deal to pay next month’s bills.

Though I have spent over 15 years as an entrepreneur I am proud to say that I never missed a mortgage payment and ensured I contributed to a pension. Not the sexy, heroic message you read from social media influencers but its ensured the security of my family and helped keep me sane.

One of the biggest fears I have for entrepreneurs is burdening themselves with personal debt while building the business. Car loans, buy now/pay later, overly expensive holidays, overdrafts, missing loan repayments, these cause more stress than running a business.

Ensure you manage your own personal finances first and maintain an emergency fund.

Finally, wisdom. Health and wealth create the space to think clearly, learn, and make sound choices. When you’re not running on fumes or worrying about debt, you can see opportunities others miss and make decisions with calm confidence.

To this end you must schedule time, regularly, to consider your life path and ensure you are comfortable with the levels of stress you are taking on. In this the most powerful word you can use is “No”.

I am sometimes concerned that I am a bad example as I hold multiple roles with a portfolio of companies but be assured I manage my commitment to each carefully and turn down more than I accept.

So, my advice? Look after your body, protect your finances, and give yourself the best possible platform to think, grow, and lead. That’s how you win, and keep winning.