It takes strength to stand up against the tyranny of the present and invest in imagination. Moments of uncertainty hold great entrepreneurial potential. Organizations [communities] don’t just prepare for the future. They make it.

The above excerpt is from the July-August issue of Harvard Business Review in the article “The Future: A Glossary” by J. Peter Scoblic. Blue Zones Project communities create their futures as shown below—one of over fifty examples. The perplexing question is: Why do many organizations and communities suffer with unchanging metrics for social determinants of health while others thrive?

Southwest Florida, a culturally and economically diverse community of almost half a million people, began in 2015 to prepare for the future by instilling policies, growing leaders, and motivating entire cohorts to live longer, happier, and healthier lives. The results have been nothing short of astounding.   

The Blue Zones Project introduced a model to better address health and well-being for 700+ organizations including worksites, schools, restaurants, homeowner associations, and faith-based institutions. A local team implemented the plan, impacting a region—larger than Delaware—where people live, play, learn, and work.  

According to Gallup, the well-being of Southwest Florida skyrocketed nationwide: from 73^rd nine years ago to the healthiest community for the past four years, with the longest life expectancy. Cardiac mortality also dropped 8.1% over five years to the lowest in Florida.

Boston University’s recent analysis of the Well-Being Index findings for every zip code in Southwest Florida showed medical and productivity savings of $40,313,800.00 over the past four years. 

These numerous successes had never been achieved before and are still ongoing. For example, champions in 25 schools provided healthier opportunities by helping youth build friendships via incorporating buddy benches, gardens, purpose workshops, legacy projects, and extracurricular activities. Elementary students added an average of 2.5 hours of physical activity weekly before, during, and after school. Collier County is the only county in Florida to experience declining adolescent obesity rates in both middle and high schools.

Forty restaurants are now collectively offering 329 plant-based dishes on their menus, giving patrons healthy choice options while increasing sales and profitability. Additional examples include smoking cessation, healthy grocery store offerings, and infrastructure improvements. 

Among representative highlights of improved health is the City of Naples, which did not increase health insurance premiums from 2013-2018. The 2018-19 plan increased by 5% due to a catastrophic claim. With 92% of employees participating in biometric screenings, the City noted the following among its workforce: a 2% reduction in hypertension, a 5% reduction in waist circumference, and a 3% reduction in risk for high triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and tobacco use. About a quarter of the City employees were motivated by a virtual walking project across America, resulting in 69,900,000 collective steps and 899 pounds lost. 

Collier County Government had a 40% decrease in the number of employees with insulin resistance after two years. The County did not raise insurance premiums for its employees for the past seven years due to disease management and participation in a thriving, health-driven community.

The NCH Healthcare System, self-insured for health, had a 54% decrease in healthcare expenditures over 6 years, resulting in a $27 million savings. Biometrics for employees included:

Moreover, the 700+ involved organizations helped to make healthy choices easier and attract more than $14.5 million additional grant dollars for safe school routes, complete streets, and other built environment projects.

The inspired leadership and professional management of a comprehensive, collaborative well-being initiative has brought leaders and organizations together for a common mission. The region has reached a tipping point in which positive environmental changes have become ingrained in the community—allowing the healthy choice to consistently become the easy choice.

The well-being improvements have demonstrated lowered healthcare costs and enhanced quality of life for area residents. The changes have shown financial and economic improvements for area employers, governments, and individuals. While work continues, the strong network of enthusiastic participants and community partners is dramatically moving Southwest Florida in a positive direction. Per community-wide polling by Boston University, the Project is currently touching approximately 225,000 lives across the socio-economic spectrum in Southwest Florida.

Moments of uncertainty, such as today’s stresses, hold great potential for those who overcome the “tyranny of the present” by imagining a new and better future. Southwest Florida is a model of successful transformation.