Gradually and Then Suddenly

In Ernest Hemingway’s iconic 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises, the character Mike Campbell is asked how he went bankrupt. His reply is simple yet profound:

“Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then suddenly.”

This phrase aptly describes how many people experience serious health crises. They go through life willfully neglecting critical aspects of their health, at first enduring only minor inconveniences. Walking feels too exhausting? They adapt by driving everywhere. Stairs become a challenge? They adapt by taking the elevator every time. Carrying groceries feels overwhelming? They adapt by relying on delivery services.

Over the years, these small compromises accumulate. They adjust to their diminishing capabilities, often without realizing how much they’ve given up.

Then it happens.

The heart attack. The fall. The stroke. A single, sudden event that irrevocably alters the course of their life. Some may rally, reclaiming fragments of what they’ve lost, but the odds are rarely in their favor. The purpose of all this is to emphasize the importance of taking a hard, honest look at your life and recognizing the early signs that your health might be “going bankrupt.” What small compromises have you already started making? Those seemingly “minor adjustments” can snowball into something far more serious. Stepping up now could not only roll back those compromises but also prevent them from spiraling into a tragic, life-altering event.