Over Christmas I talked to my brother in law a little bit about CrossFit and paleolithic nutrition. I saw him last week and barely recognized the guy. He must have lost 30 pounds. He has an extremely demanding job that requires extensive travel but he still makes time for fitness. He eats as clean as any CrossFitter. When he’s stuck in a hotel gym he’ll do things like front squat x 100 with 50 pound dumbbells.

W.T.F.

Anyway, he’s very enthusiastic about fitness. My niece reported with equal parts admiration and annoyance that fitness “is all he ever talks about.”

Thank me later kid.

In Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell describes a small group of people who are so connected, knowledgeable, and influential that their actions and beliefs can spark a social epidemic.

Here’s the important thing: you don’t have to be famous, popular, or flashy to be a high-influencer. The difference between you and Lois Weisberg is simply a matter of scale. Within your own family you have far more influence than any outsider.

So what are you going to do with that influence? Will you sit around eating cupcakes and feeling sorry for yourself? Or will you set an aspirational example and become the tipping point for your family’s health?