Bollywood stardom often highlights a sculpted physique, and that resonates with the goals of the modern Indian entrepreneur like myself. The real power move, I believe, isn’t just flaunting financial success or closing business deals; it’s showing off a healthy lifestyle through a positive mindset, prioritizing health.
Both share similar characteristics, like focus, discipline, and resilience. It’s about having a healthy body, clear mind, and sharp business sense.
More Than Just Bollywood’s Aesthetic
While India has over a billion people, for a long time, the focus was often more on wealth and social standing than on health and fitness. The obsession with luxury, from gold jewelry to extravagant weddings, often overshadowed personal well-being.
But something is changing!
A new wave of Indian entrepreneurs, inspired by global leaders and a new generation of Bollywood stars, is demonstrating that health and wealth aren’t mutually exclusive. They’re the new power combo.
The Rise of the Fitpreneur: Redefining Success
In a world previously defined by symbols of luxury — sports cars, yachts, designer watches — the ultimate flex is now a bit more grounded: health. Think of figures like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk; they’ve made fitness a key part of their personal brand. For me, this shows that power in the corporate world isn’t just about financial success, it’s also about taking care of your physical well-being.
This shift in focus hasn’t been lost on India’s rising business leaders. Inspired by global trends and even the Bollywood obsession with chiseled physiques, entrepreneurs like myself are showing that physical fitness should be an essential part of the journey to business success.
Health and Wealth: The New Indian Mantra
In Bollywood, we’ve long admired heroes like Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan, who embody this “larger-than-life” image with their incredible bodies. While these stars represent physical perfection, the reality in India has often been different. Historically, the emphasis has been on wealth, education, and income, with health and fitness often taking a backseat.
Given how much we love Bollywood bodies, it’s clear that Indians care about fitness. But I believe the desire to achieve it for ourselves, to prioritize our own well-being, needs to be the goal. The times are changing! I’ve come to understand that true success isn’t just about accumulating wealth. It’s also about maintaining mental and physical clarity. I and many of my peers are integrating early morning workouts, intermittent fasting, abstaining from alcohol, and clean eating into our busy routines.
The 1 in 250 Million Flex: Where Fitness Meets Business
The real magic happens when you combine extraordinary wealth with extraordinary discipline. It’s no easy feat. In India, many struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This struggle often involves sedentary work habits, a diet heavy in carbohydrates, the occasional (or frequent) drink, and limited physical activity.
Yet, in a culture where everyone is talking about startups and IPOs, a select few, including myself, are embracing both the mental and physical grind to push our businesses and our bodies to their limits. The numbers don’t lie. Studies show that only 1 in 10,000 people over 40 are millionaires, and only 1 in 25,000 can maintain the low body fat percentage necessary to sport a visible six-pack. But what if you achieve both? If you take a hypothetical prompt from chatGPT, you are 1 in 250 million!
My Story: The 100 Million Mindset
I’m Dr. Shalin Patel. I was raised by Gujarati parents, Kamlesh and Mayurika Patel. My upbringing involved hard work and dedication. Growing up, I lived in Mississippi. Working alongside my parents, I helped them with their jobs, which gave me a great work ethic. I worked hard to become a dentist and then, pivoted into real estate. I was doing well, finding success as a multi-faceted entrepreneur.
But my life took a dramatic turn in 2013. I was in a near-fatal car accident. It was a wake-up call! I had to re-evaluate my priorities. I had been so focused on financial success that I had neglected my physical and mental health. “I had everything, yet I was losing the one thing that mattered most — my health,” I’d say. The accident was the jolt I needed to recalibrate. From that moment on, I embarked on a journey to redefine my life.
Now, I’m a dentist by training, a real estate developer by passion, an entrepreneur by nature, and, above all, a loving father. I aim to prove that being a parent and having business success doesn’t have to come at the expense of one’s health.
Inspired by My Parents: Living the “100 Million Mindset”
I live by what I call the “100 Million Mindset.” For me, success isn’t measured by the balance in my bank account alone but by my ability to balance business, health, and family life.
A typical day for me starts around 5:30 AM with a rigorous workout. I then shift gears into my father and multifaceted entrepreneur roles, juggling multiple responsibilities with a sharp focus on maintaining my well-being. My daily routine reflects the values my parents instilled in me, who are redefining what it means to age gracefully with roots in India.
Even in their 70s, my mother and father maintain exceptional fitness routines. My father starts the day with a walk, while my mother enjoys pilates and daily walks — activities she’s committed to for years. Both follow a disciplined diet, and, most notably, my mother has never consumed alcohol. Her choices have profoundly influenced my health journey. I often joke, “They often burn more calories and take more steps per day than I do!” We track our daily calories, steps, and workouts live on a fitness app, turning health into a shared family goal.
For me, this commitment to well-being goes hand in hand with my business mindset. I believe that true wealth isn’t measured by material success but by mastering discipline in every area of life. “Success isn’t about the trophies you collect; it’s about the discipline you build, day in and day out,” I often tell people. “It’s about competing with yourself — whether pushing your limits in the gym, excelling at work, or nurturing your relationships at home.”
In this new era of business leadership, physical fitness and mental discipline are essential to success. My philosophy is helping reshape how Indian entrepreneurs approach their health, proving that the new flex is not just a well-tailored suit but a well-tuned body and mind.
The New Flex for Indian Business Leaders: It’s Time to Prioritize
My journey shows that the path to financial and physical success is not only possible but imperative. By re-imagining the “business leader” as someone who takes pride in their body, mind, and business, I’m helping shape a new narrative for Indians: family, health, and wealth should be prioritized.
For the new generation of Indian entrepreneurs, it’s clear that a fit body is no longer just for the Bollywood elite. It’s the new standard for excellence, inspiring the Indian community to focus on health over wealth.
If you liked this article and want more tips and guidance on your self-improvement journey, visit www.drshalinpatel.com and follow me on Instagram @drshalinpatel for more insights and motivation!
