That's why having friends with similar goal is important.

A lot of people have "friends by default", the ones they gather on their way through life.

But it's important to try actively to make friends, friends in social circles we seek or with interest matching out goals.

It seems artificial, but a non natural encounter can turn into a good relationship if nutured, and it will help ones to grow.

Great strategy when you're younger and older, but doesn't really help during the years where you're raising young kids. Time is limited and it's easy to forget yourself when caring for others.

I choose the alternative solution not to have kids.

It's important to remember it's an option.

You don't have to go every day. Twice or even once a week has a lot of benefit.

Sure, but gyms have extremely low stimulus and lifting weights really has no short term goal outside of the activity itself (compared to winning a basketball game, for example)

This seems like a rather defeatist attitude; the kind that keeps people away from the gym.

I can assure you that once you commit to a regular exercise schedule, it is both highly stimulating and an end in itself.

It's certainly important to pick something you like. For example, I hate running on treadmills

If you hate it, then you hate it, although there are things you can try to make it better. I used to hate running on treadmills, until I found that I don't mind it if I listen to techno music with a tempo matching my gait. The funny thing about this is, I can't stand techno at any other time.

I think one of the keys to exercising regularly is finding "lifehacks" like this that reduce the misery.