In all areas of his life, Donny Pangilinan chooses paths that put him in positions to win — and he tells us how you can do the same.
You might know Donny Pangilinan from that movie you watched on Netflix, or you may recognize him from that billboard you passed by while driving on the highway the other day.
But what you may not know is how, behind the camera, the rising star manages to live a holistically balanced life.
Growing up, he got into an active lifestyle early, competing in triathlons at the age of 10. From there, he branched out to many other sports, even competing in basketball varsity later on. And although his fitness journey started as a hobby when he was in school, even now as he builds his career, he still continues to prioritize his health.
Because of this, Sun Life Philippines named Donny Pangilinan its new health ambassador as the insurance company aims to raise more awareness on the importance of investing in oneself.
With his lifestyle, Sun Life recognizes Donny as a role model to the younger generations. And based on his experiences, he shares how we can, like him, make decisions in our lives that will put us in positions to win.
1. Just show up.
When people say that showing up is half the battle, majority of the time, they really mean it.
It’s easy to tell yourself that you’ll start your new project next week instead, or that you’re too tired to exercise today, or that you don’t have the time to focus on your health. Donny Pangilinan feels the same way too sometimes, especially with his busy schedule filming, shooting, or hosting events.
“Despite my busy schedule, I have to admit, there are times na talagang hindi ko kaya or sinasabi ko sa sarili ko na tamad ako,” he tells The GAME.
But the star puts it himself, “Just show up. Put yourself in the environment.”
By simply achieving the task of showing up, you are already telling yourself that you are a priority in your life — and you should be. This already puts you in a position to win.
2. Share your passions.
Donny Pangilinan grew up in an active family. His parents both sported very active lifestyles, and Donny and his siblings took after them.
“We all wanted to do [triathlons] together as siblings,” he recalls how he started his fitness journey with his family. “Our motto was, ‘we tri together.'”
“It’s fun kasi ‘di ka mag-isa, may kasama kang ka-train. Kung iiyak ka, iiyak din lahat kasi mahirap ang training, pero masaya kasi magkasama kayo and you guys go through it together.”
By including your family or friends in what you love to do, you are already making it more meaningful for yourself. On top of this, having a community that is going through similar experiences will help keep you accountable for showing up and improving, making your journey just that much more worthwhile.
3. Try different activities.
Donny competed in triathlon races from the age of 10 up until he was around 14 years old, and from there, he used this opportunity to explore other sports.
“In triathlons, what I was good at was running, so that’s what I competed in during high school — cross country, and track-and-field. I also played basketball.”
By trying out different things, Donny was eventually able to discover the activities that he is passionate about, while also developing a strong work ethic, among the many other values that these activities can give your life.
“It all really started from that root of really knowing that in order to get good at something or to even be able to compete, you need to train and you need to be disciplined,” he reflects.
4. Add some “spice” to it.
For some people, it can be understandably challenging to get into a new routine. In line with this, Donny Pangilinan shares his advice for anyone who wants to find the motivation to get into something new.
“I think it’s more of spicing it up with something that excites you. With fitness, for example, you can make it fun if you do it in a way that is beneficial to you in terms of you enjoying it, or finding joy in doing it,” he advises.
“If you’re someone who likes music, show up with your headphones, and you’ll never know, ‘di mo namamalayan na tumaktakbo ka na. Make small differences to change your environment to something that is pleasing to you.”
5. Invest in yourself.
Finally, one of the most important life lessons we can take from Donny is how to invest in yourself.
At only 25 years old, Donny Pangilinan has already made major investments for his future. For instance, he invested in real estate and has also secured a health insurance plan for himself.
“I’m very hands-on with my savings,” he shares.
This is why Sun Life values Donny as their ambassador as they strive to raise more awareness on the importance of investing in health insurance, especially for the younger generations.
By creating long-term investments, such as Sun Life’s health insurance plans, you are most definitely putting yourself in a position to win. Having this as a source of security in your life gives you more freedom to explore the things you love to do, and again, put yourself on a strong foot to win in life.
How do you want to win?
Banner images courtesy of Sun Life Philippines.
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