In our last +1, we spent some time with one of Europe’s greatest peak performance coaches—a guy named Dave Alred.
As we discussed, he wrote a great book called The Pressure Principle that’s all about how to "Handle Stress, Harness Energy, and Perform When It Counts.”
He playfully described the language we use when we talk to ourselves as “The Ultimate Performance-Enhancing Drug.”
I repeat: “It has been said that it is the most powerful drug known to mankind. The performance edges that can be achieved from skillful and consistent use of this drug include: increasing self-esteem, creating a dramatic boost in confidence, reframing and transforming meaning, and changes in behaviors and attitudes."
I drove the point home by referencing Darren Donnelly’s BRILLIANT (!) wisdom: “Don’t listen to yourself. Talk to yourself.”
I also promised to share some of my other favorite references to metaphorical pills.
So…
Let’s get to work.
First, we have Matthew Walker. In his great book Why We Sleep (check out those Notes!), he tells us about an “AMAZING BREAKTHROUGH! Scientists have discovered a revolutionary new treatment that makes you live longer. It enhances your memory and makes you more creative. It makes you look more attractive. It keeps you slim and lowers food cravings. It protects you from cancer and dementia. It wards off colds and the flu. It lowers your risk of heart attacks and strokes, not to mention diabetes. You’ll even feel happier, less depressed, and less anxious. Are you interested?”
← Wow!! I’ll take it! You?
Matthew continues: “While it may sound hyperbolic, nothing about this fictitious advertisement would be inaccurate. If this were a drug, many people will be disbelieving. Those who were convinced would pay large sums of money for even the smallest dose. Should clinical trials back up the claims, share prices of the pharmaceutical company that invented the drug would skyrocket.
Of course, the ad is not describing some miracle new tincture or a cure-all wonder drug, but rather the proven benefits of a full night of sleep. The evidence supporting these claims have been documented in more than 17,000 well-scrutinized and scientific reports to date. As for the prescription cost, well, there isn’t one. It’s free. Yet all too often, we shun the nightly invitations to receive our full dose of this all natural remedy–with terrible consequences.
Failed by the lack of public education, most of us do not realize how remarkable a panacea sleep truly is.”
Sleep. It does a body good!
Then we have Jonathan Haidt’s similar ad for meditation.
In The Happiness Hypothesis he tells us: “Suppose you read about a pill that you could take once a day to reduce anxiety and increase your contentment. Would you take it? Suppose further that the pill has a great variety of side effects, all of them good: increased self-esteem, empathy, and trust; it even improves memory. Suppose, finally, that the pill is all natural and costs nothing. Now would you take it? The pill exists. It’s called meditation.”
Then there’s John Ratey’s thoughts on the magic of exercise.
In his great book Spark he tells us: “I tell people that going for a run is like taking a little bit of Prozac and a little bit of Ritalin because, like the drugs, exercise elevates these neurotransmitters. It’s a handy metaphor to get the point across, but the deeper explanation is that exercise balances neurotransmitters — along with the rest of the neurochemicals in the brain. And as you’ll see, keeping your brain in balance can change your life.”
Check out Movement 101 and Optimal Sleep 101 for more.
And…
That’s Today’s +1.
How we talk to ourselves matters.
So does how we sleep. And meditate. And exercise.
How can you pop a little metaphorical performance-enhancing pill to take your Energy to the next (next!) level?
Get on that.
And make Today another great day.
🫡 !!!
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