As high achievers, we have an intense drive to move toward our goals, passions and our bigger vision to make a difference in the world. We push for success, but there can be times when we push too hard and burn ourselves out. That physical exhaustion can have a big effect on all the areas of our lives, including mental clarity in business, our long-term financial success and our personal and professional relationships.
This is why we need to treat our physical health as a strategic advantage and apply as much discipline and consistency to it, as we do to reaching our professional and financial goals.
How physical health influences cognitive performance.
What we think affects the decisions we make. Our decisions impact the actions we take. And our actions deliver results. This is why doing everything we can to improve our cognitive performance is so important and our physical health is a key part of it.
We’ve all had times in our lives when we’ve felt ill or not at our best. During those times, we have difficulty making good decisions and we have less tolerance in adverse situations, both big and small. That is because our bodies and minds are intricately connected.
What we may not realize is that even a small amount of physical exhaustion can have a big impact. For example, one less hour of sleep in a night reduces our alertness, memory and decision-making speed. Because of it, we can feel foggy and have a harder time regulating emotions.
High Emotion = Low Intelligence.
Under stress, the critical thinking part of the brain gets shut down. That means the quality of our mental clarity in business is decreased and our leadership and financial decision-making skills are impacted, so we don’t get the kind of results we really want now or in the future.
Why ignoring health undermines long-term financial and professional goals.
Studies show that poor self-care, like bad nutritional habits and lack of exercise, rewires how you make decisions which undermines your long-term financial and professional goals.
This happens because your brain naturally tries to conserve energy, so it takes as many shortcuts as it can, especially when your tired, not eating well or not feeling your best.
Those shortcuts can look like:
- Staying in your comfort zone
- Falling back on habits that don’t serve you
- Reacting to the situation instead of taking the time to think it through and respond to it
- Playing it safe by copying what other people are doing rather than innovating
In business, those kinds of shortcuts vastly reduce your ability to adapt and innovate, which in turn reduces the opportunities you have in the long run.
Conversely, fueling your body and brain with good food and exercise, will allow you to think far more strategically, as you take the time to weigh the options and say no to “shiny object syndrome” and the things that don’t support your bigger vision, even though they might look good in the moment.
Your ability to think strategically has a direct impact on what you can achieve.
This is why attending to your health is so important. Making self-care a priority will help to protect you from burnout and support the kind of clear, long-term thinking that will set you and your business up for success.
Why physical health is a strategic advantage.
Your health is a performance multiplier. The better you feel, the more effective you can be in both your personal and professional life. Better health gives you more energy, more creativity and a greater capacity to support the people who matter most to you. This is why putting your health first is not a lifestyle luxury, it is the strategic advantage that will help you outperform your competitors.
You are the only person who can do what you do best. That is your strategic advantage in business and life.
You cannot fully leverage your strategic advantage if you are suffering from a deficiency—whether that be from lack of sleep, proper nutrition, physical strength or mental and emotional wellness.
Each feeds the other, as the body and mind work together to further your goals.
It all comes down to discipline and consistency. The more support you give to your body, like eating well and taking time to rest, energize and practice regular self-care, the easier it will be for your brain to see the bigger picture and make the decisions that are in line with your long-term financial success and your legacy goals.
To support better physical health:
- What’s one small thing you can do—and stick to—to improve your nutrition?
- How can you move your body for 5 minutes a day? (Once you make 5 minutes a daily habit, increase the time.)
- How can you support a better sleep routine?
- Is there a toxic person in your life that you can decrease spending time with to reduce your stress?
- What other ways can you reduce stress?
- How can you increase your strength physically, mentally and emotionally?
Every improvement matters. Even a small change in your physical health can vastly improve your decision-making skills and with it your overall results.
It is also important to remember that the things you feed your brain are just as critical as the kind of food you give to your body to nourish it. Positive thinking has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure and enhance your cognitive performance.
That means better decision-making opportunities for you…along with all the rewards that come with them!
This is why developing positive neural pathways by feeding your brain with good news, uplifting stories and educational information supports your goals and your long-term success.
An easy and convenient way to do that daily is through my ATM.
My Abundance, Tips & Mentoring is designed to support your continuous evolution. Every morning, I deliver an audio file via email and text. With it, you will develop an abundance mindset you can bank on.
Support your mind and your future by accessing my ATM today.
“My mindset food I get everyday: through Sharon Lechter’s ATM – Abundance Tips and Mentoring. If you haven’t tried it yet, find out how to subscribe- and I guarantee you, it will change your business life and your personal life.” – Lloyd B