“As I’ve become older, I’ve taken a fond liking to simplicity,” begins Milind Soman’s post on the Facebook page Humans of Bombay.
Having recently earned the tag of Ironman post the Ironman Triathlon in Switzerland, the 49-year-old actor stands as an inspiration to all of us. Completing a 1609-kilometer journey – that consists of a 3.86 kilometer swim, a 180.25 kilometer cycle race and a 42.2 kilometer run- in 15 hours, 19 minutes and 29 seconds, he sure set new records for fitness.
When Humans of Bombay caught up with him, the actor spoke about how finding a balance in life is what eventually led him to achieve it all.
“Scientifically, everything is symbolic of everything else whether it’s an atom, the universe, love or a relationship. When you understand the principal of balance – where things happen around you or to you to balance the energy in the world – your life will become a lot simpler and clearer.”
When was the last time you achieved this balance?
“When I started to run and gave up smoking. I think I smoked my first cigarette when I was 29 waiting on the sets of a television show for no reason in particular. After that, while I was waiting around on set – I would be smoking 5 cigarettes at a time and 30 in a day. That’s what went on for the next few years of my life. I think when something is so acceptable, accessible and addictive – it’s the toughest to escape it.”
While his Ironman tag does seem like an impossible feat, Milind stresses on how just giving up on a bad habit was enough for him to achieve the impossible.
“I tried and failed to give up my addiction for a few years, until I really put my mind to it and that only happened when I decided to start running, I could feel it in my lungs and body that I was unfit and unhealthy.”
The setback however, had to be overcome. “Having been naturally inclined to sports since a young age, I felt terrible about myself and that’s how I was able to release the habit for good over six months and now I can’t even passive smoke. So I guess from being a chain smoker to winning the title of Iron Man…balance was restored.”
Post the lifestyle change the actor admits that simplicity is what keeps him happy. “The kind of things I do, or need have evolved over time so I don’t think I necessarily even have a dream – I just love everything that’s happening around me and I get inspired from little things that make me think.”
Image via Facebook
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