Diderot's remark that "Only...great passions can elevate the soul to great things" reflects a well-known truth about human nature-people are the most motivated to excel at things about which they are deeply passionate. The soul rises to great things when it is stretched to accomplish something that stirs it profoundly. Women have lifted cars off their infants and men have survived against insurmountable odds to save their families in moments of crisis because their passion for those they loved drove them beyond the limits of their ordinary physical capabilities. People can seemingly escape the bonds of mortal limitation and reach superhuman levels of strength and insight when they are working to accomplish a purpose larger than themselves.
In my case, one such passion is the pursuit of health and physical fitness. My decision to become a kinesiology major was an outgrowth of that passion. Although fitness gurus are everywhere, the few that have stood the test of time are those that have been passionate and fully committed to fitness, not just as a hobby or a career but also as a service to their fellow man. When 94-year-old fitness expert Jack LaLanne was asked in an interview whether he ever imagined becoming a "celebrity icon," he replied, "No, I just wanted to help people get in shape" ("The Godfather of Fitness; Jack LaLanne," 2008). LaLanne did not just tout fitness; he has lived it all his life. His continuing fitness attests to the genuineness of his passion. His amazing stunts, such as swimming the length of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge underwater at age 40 and towing 70 boats with 70 people in them against strong winds and powerful currents at age 70-while handcuffed and shackled-were attention-getting, but it was LaLanne's everyday commitment to eating right and exercising that enabled him to do them. His 94 years of working at fitness and healthy living were the real story. LaLanne is gre...