don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

Many Americans are addicted to sweepstakes. Sweepstakes are a billion dollar-a-year, sleight-of-hand industry. One especially annoying stick-on game costs 29 cents to play, yet offers only one chance in 199 million for a windfall. The odds of being hit by a meteorite are greater than winning a sweepstakes, in fact, your chances of winning a lottery are about the same whether you buy a ticket or not! Yet, Publishers Clearing House succeeds in gathering about twice the number of entries in a year in the U.S. as there are people living in the country. I sent one in myself a few years ago, lost and have been bummed out about sweepstakes ever since. Yet, like a few hundred million other citizens, I get a personalized letter every year from the Clearing House folks that begins as follows: "Congratulations Mr. Donald B. Ardell, you are a guaranteed finalist!" After losing one perfectly good first class stamp, I am unwilling to send in any more, even though I'm a guaranteed finalist.

Maybe you are wondering at this point what this has to do with fitness? Well, I have an idea for a really neat sweepstakes. The difference between my sweepstakes and the rest is this: In my sweepstakes, everyone could win. I'll explain, in a minute.

If people are addicted to sweepstakes, too bad, but why not exploit this unfortunate fact for health promotion purposes? My idea is to create a pot with a lot of money, perhaps a sum that some wellness-oriented very rich person like Richard Simmons might donate. This would enable a new, revolutionary "Fitness Sweepstakes." To make the fitness sweepstakes appealing to the addicted sweepstakes players of America, the contest design might require those incredibly annoying sheets that you have to tear and paste on an entry form. This could be sent to all American households. The cover letter would, of course, note that the recipient is a finalist. Of course, a little dramatic license should be used in the spirit of such contests, so a sentence such as this might be used: "Congratulations, you are a finalist, that's right, a finalist and you are on your way to winning millions of dollars, so--don't lose this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" Understatement has no place in sweepstakes.

This sweepstakes would be a little different, though. Instead of pitching free or cheap magazines, the fitness sweepstakes mailing would provide information about the nature and benefits of a healthy lifestyle while offering good values on fitness equipment, clubs in the occupant's area and other come-on attractions. To enter the contest, all you would have to do is pledge to be fitness tested at an approved local fitness/ wellness center, develop a fitness routine that meets published standards and keep minimal documentation of your chosen exercise regimen -- and, of course, send in your sweepstakes fitness pledge card! If your name is picked by Richard Simmons or whatever fitness celebrity puts up the money and thus earns this honor (and promotional opportunity), you win -- provided, of course, you could demonstrate with good evidence that you kept your pledge to be tested and had adopted and maintained a reasonable fitness regimen since the time you sent in your contest entry form. Isn't that a neat idea? Would it not motivate lots of people who do NOT at the present time take very good care of themselves to give exercise/fitness and other wellness initiatives a try? After all, you would not want to be the person who holds the winning ticket but unable to collect because you failed to follow the rules.

The fitness sweepstakes could be promoted with lots of tacky events. For example, every six months, a drawing could be held just before or after a popular television show or sporting event, such as a world wrestling or tractor pull contest. The name of a winner would be drawn and a van with guards and barrels of cash would roll up the winner's driveway and knock on his/her door. On live TV, a smarmy host would greet the winner, ask if he/she kept the pledge to exercise and could show a fitness certification from a local wellness center. If not, well, too bad. The barrels of cash would be wheeled away and added to the next fitness sweepstakes, six months hence. Canned audience groans, applause, screams and so on might be added for higher ratings.

Eventually, someone would win a sizeable pot. Until that happened, however, the suspense would build and more and more reluctant exercisers would present themselves at wellness centers for testing. Over time, vast numbers of previously sedentary folks addicted to sweepstakes would undertake to jog, swim, bike or whatever to insure their eligibility should their name be selected next. Pretty neat, huh?

While only one person in several hundred million would win the sweepstakes, many millions would actually win at something else at least as important, namely, the game of well-being. By doing the right thing (exercising) for the wrong reason (being eligible for the fitness sweepstakes), many would eventually decide to stay with a regimen because they had come to realize that they feel so much better as a consequence of becoming fitter. They might even decide that sweepstakes, including this one, are a waste of time and money.

The fitness sweepstakes would, therefore, offer everyone a real chance at winning lower risk levels for all kinds of diseases, and a higher sense of self-worth and a better quality of life. There would be no losers in the fitness sweepstakes.

What do you think? Is it ethical to exploit something as sleazy as a sweepstakes contest in order to promote better health?

Stay well, and don't hold your breath waiting for some rich fitness celebrity to donate millions of dollars for this idea. Exercise anyway, even without the fitness sweepstakes, and then you will have more reasons than ever to look on the bright side of life.

(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the MENTAL DOMAIN under the skill area of effective decisions. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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