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Part of performing and succeeding like an Olympian is learning how to unplug from stress: how to create rituals and responses to stress that will help and not hinder you. Athletes like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan have all spoke of their step by step rituals for dealing with pre-game stress. It often will include naps, listening to music, tying their shoes a certain way, joking with other teammates.
You and I go through performance rituals in our personal and professional lives. Would you like to learn how to unplug like a champion? I had the fortune of coming across a very enlightening article at the Huffington Post, and I’d like to share with you what I learned, so that you can continue to take your ‘game’, personal and professional, to the next level this week.
Personal Leadership Success Factor #1: Do The Opposite
The idea here is that champions don’t get distracted and caught up in knee-jerk negative responses to adversity and problems. In order to perform, they need to execute efficiently and quickly. So to prepare for this effort, they create positive habits that serve as buffers to distress.
I’d like to introduce a way of thinking that can help you handle distress a bit better.
When a tough situation arises, I’d like you to first name your emotional state.
Is it anger or fear? Are you overwhelmed? If so, acknowledge that emotion, observe it passively, and then let it go. Don’t judge yourself for having the emotion. Be mindful of the emotion, but let it go, so that it does not paralyze you.
Next, re-label how you are thinking about the ‘problem.’
Think about the problem as an opportunity in disguise. Remind yourself that the most successful people are those who have learned to solve or accept the problems of living. Repeat these self-help motivation sayings to yourself about adversity:
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. ~M. Kathleen Casey
Problems are to the mind what exercise is to the muscles, they toughen and make strong. ~Norman Vincent Peale
Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit. ~Napoleon Hill
One resource that I use regularly for mental toughness and resilience, both for myself, and for my counseling clients, is Thoughts & Feelings: Taking Control of Your Moods and Your Life Workbook
Personal Leadership Success Factor #2: Get Plenty of Sleep
Never underestimate the benefits of sleep to restore your mind and body for optimal performance. Paradoxically, you must get plenty of rest to do more.
If you would like more tips on how to improve your sleep, I have written a post about how to get a good night’s sleep.
In addition, Deep Sleep With Medical Hypnosis
Personal Leadership Success Factor #3: Take Power Naps
Rather than fighting the urge to nap, make it a regular part of your schedule. According to recent research from Mathew Walker from UC Berkeley, napping correlates positive brain power.
Another helpful resource in learning how to make naps work for you is Powrnaps Sleep System Combo Pack 26-minute Nap Audio System & Easy2sleep Audio System, 5.0 ounces Digipack 
Personal Leadership Success Factor #4: Get Clear!
Having clear goals and purposes in life, getting clear on your personal mission statement is one of the most important and beneficial things you can do.Have you taken time to find your purpose in life? If not, I am going to direct you to Celestine Chua’s article, How To Know What You Want To Do In Life.
Having perspective on who you are, what life is about, and where you want to go will help you navigate the waters of adversity when they arrive.
Personal Leadership Success Factor #5: Food and Water
NOT: sugar, salt, junk food, and not enough water!
You need eat a balanced diet of complex carbohydrates, vegetables, and fruit. And you need drink plenty of water.
I’m not so great at practicing what I preach in this area, but it makes sense that what you put into your priceless human body will strongly contribute to your success, or lack of it.
In addition to avoiding putting poisons (white sugar, white flour) into your system, taking supplements such as healthy amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids will help balance your mood and protect your heart.
Personal Leadership Success Factor #6: Pay Attention
Top athletes are very mindful and conscious of how they are performing, of their strengths and weaknesses, and areas of threats and opportunities. They are very careful to discover the best way to talk to themselves, and they always search for more efficient and powerful ways to communicate with themselves.
I recommend, again, that you buy and work through the Thoughts & Feelings: Taking Control of Your Moods and Your Life Workbook so that you can make powerful self communication a habit.
In addition, one of the best ways to generate helpful mindfulness is regular exercise, meditation, and longhand journaling on a weekly, if not daily, basis. I recommend The Artist’s Way Workbook
Personal Leadership Success Factor 7: Less Is More
Many top Olympians, according to Dr. Michael Gervais, are often without cell phones, computers, TV’s, or other type of techonological chatter during the day.
I’m not saying that you should ditch all these, but it’s easy to clutter up our internal resources with too much input.
In order to get a handle on the concept that less is more, consider reading the Minimalist Blog, by Leo Babuta, author of Zen To Done: The Ultimate Simple Productivity System
I hope you’ll use some of these success factors to skyrocket your personal leadership. How will you apply these personal leadership success factors? I look forward to hearing your responses!
Photo Credit: The US Army on Flickr
About Stephen Borgman
Hey Stephen, that is truly a wonderful read. I can personally vouch for power naps! I think your examples and methods are absolutely spot on. I’ll make sure to buy the book “Thoughts & Feelings: Taking Control of Your Moods and Your Life Workbook” on your recommendation.
Stevie @ Vin DiCarlo recently posted..Who Is Vin DiCarlo?
Stevie, thank you. I am big on power naps myself, although my schedule does not always permit them. I love the Thoughts and Feelings workbook because it’s based on proven research: cognitive behavior theory. I wish you the best with putting it to use!
Twitter: edytazabielska
says:
Hi Stephen,
Thanks for very intersting tips!
“Get Plenty of Sleep” – this factor is very important for me.
I can add Factor 8: Physical exercise. Physical exercise can improve your body’s adaptability to stress. I practice swimming and windsurfing.
Amen to exercise! I love running, and I just got a 30 minute run in today. Actually, swimming and windsurfing sound like a lot more fun
And you’re correct: by putting our body through mild stress with exercise, we release the endorphins that assist us with dealing with environmental stress.
Stephen,
You have included some different success factors, not always mentioned. Getting adequate sleep, taking naps, eating nutritional food and getting plenty of water – paying attention to your own health and well being as well as the words you feed to yourself. Keeping your body healthy and your mind alert will allow you to focus on becoming clear about what you want to accomplish and how to do it in the most appropriate and beneficial way.
Warmly,
Dr. Erica
Dr. Erica Goodstone recently posted..Improve Your Social Skills – 10 tips from Dale Carnegie
To quote you:
I’m going to keep that in mind as my motivation to follow my own advice. Thanks, Dr. Erica!
Twitter: blondishnet
says:
I normally do not think of problems as “problems”…more like challenges. People get caught up in approaching them with the fear of a negative result, rather than knowing that the result could turn up negative, but you can always try again and succeed.
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Twitter: steveborgman
says:
Nile, it’s precisely because you think this way that you are most likely experiencing success in your business
Thanks for the input!
Steve-Personal Success Factors recently posted..Cut Through Your Problems Like A Knife Through Butter
Stephen, thanks for helpful tips. Hope more people will find this post one day!
Thanks, Andy
Medication can be helpful, as long as it’s carefully monitored by a physician. Ideally, medication would be used only in an acute phase of a sleep disorder. Then, as the individual learns better sleep hygiene techniques, s/he can wean off of the medication.
Twitter: martyinmaui
says:
Great tips Steve. Since I started working at home and have control over my time, I’ve become a huge fan of “power naps.” I tend to work odd hours – and when I’m in the middle of a project I might be at my computer at 2am so having the flexibility to take a power nap and refresh my brain has been a life saver at times!
marquita herald recently posted..Self Respect: The Key to Achieving Peace of Mind and Self-Confidence
Great point, Marquita! You sound like Thomas Edison, the great inventor. He worked non-stop, and it was power naps that kept him rested in between his stream of creative ideas.
Twitter: KevinMartineau
says:
Hi Stephen:
I really like your first point! For me I am in the learning stage of naming my emotional state. I have been so out of touch with my emotions for so many years that I am slowly learning to name them now. This has been an incredibly helpful process.
Kevin
Kevin Martineau recently posted..Toxic and unhealthy words
Kevin, I don’t think you’re alone in this process. I may be wrong, but I don’t think men are particularly taught to recognize, label, and monitor their emotions. Yet, interestingly enough, emotional intelligence has been found to be extremely important in studies done regarding the effectiveness of business leaders. You’re on the right track!
Great Post Steve. I am one for the music. I find that many of the emotions for me are at night when I go to bed. Mainly because I have so much going on. Righting things down prior to bed helps reduce the anxiety, stress etc. Thanks Again I will be back this was very informative.
Darryl Burgess recently posted..You Loser!
Darryl, thank you for the input. I know you’re right: all of us have a lot stored up in our minds and bodies right before bed. Taking the time to slow down and decompress is a great way to transition our minds and bodies from stress to sleep.
Twitter: MUTUNGA
says:
Stephen,
There are so many different things necessary for one to be successful, I could list them for days. Leadership is definitely one of them. Resilience, Determination, Savvy, Selflessness, Courage, and Compassion are all qualities of great leaders. The things you’ve stated are all complimentary but still just as important nonetheless.
Good Insight!
Dewane Mutunga recently posted..Creating Email Subject Lines That Work
These qualities are all character traits to pay attention to and deliberately work on adding to our lives. Thanks, Dewane, for pointing them out.
Stephen ,
unique presentation and one that I have huge experience with. Sleep is something from when I was over seas, got little to none. My mind was at its highest level to keep me function well over the norm.
We are tough in our military in different as to staying awake and how to function above the norm. We had it hard on our bodies and mind. It is better to gain rest when you can and keep moving ahead.
All the different techniques are all helpful to some. Everyone certain things will work or not. Just keep an open mind and experience life, love and clarity on all levels. Get your thoughts clear and keep healthy body mind and soul.
Great article and one I will continue to return to. Thanks Stephen.
William Earl Amis,Jr. III recently posted..Don’t Be A Coward
William, thank you for stopping by. Hey, I have a great idea for one of your next blog posts: Military Strategies For Accomplishing More With Less Sleep! I’m serious: it might be a great post!
Twitter: coachestraining
says:
Stress is part of our daily routine. Anywhere you go and anything you do there is always a stress situation. Just know how to handle this and you will be fine. Do things that makes you feel good. Other people eats when they are stress. Some doing shopping, meet with friends. Get enough sleep as long as you can, this can recharge your mind and body.
Twitter: steveborgman
says:
Jeff, thanks for the tips and reminders
Steve-Personal Success Factors recently posted..Skyrocket Your Personal Leadership Now
Over and over again in this post I read the same thing in between the lines. Take your pride and ego out of it. Get over yourself and treat your goals as if they have nothing to do with your self-esteem. Play it smart and then afterwards give yourself respect for having done it right.
You’ve cut through the think this and don’t do that to make a clear point: Use your head.
Now how to perfectly time your rewards to encourage growth as your outlook falters. That’s more art than science.
Josh, thanks for the insight. There’s a certain amount of ok pride that goes into setting and achieving goals. But there’s also an amount of humility and courage to let go of fear of failure and of ‘looking bad’ that we need to inject into our personal development process. Thanks, too, for pointing out the needs for us to plant reminders of our personal victories and rewards as times get tough.
Twitter: reachnathalie
says:
Hi Stephen, Great post, I really like your #1 factor. I think that for most people, not being so reactive all the time is a major step towards happiness. I know that for me, it’s been a huge leap in my personal development journey. Taking the time to analyze our emotions and spend some time within the triggers is so important. I love how you describe the process which sometimes can only take us a few seconds.
I actually all the factors are brilliant and if I could only resolve myself to taking a short nap when I feel the need, instead of trying to fight it off, this would probably another huge breakthrough… I like how this all make so much sense. Thanks for sharing this great post with us. ~ Nathalie
Nathalie Villeneuve recently posted..How to Avoid Stress When Working From Home
Nathalie, thanks for the feedback. I enjoyed watching one of your facebook videos regarding the Zen Circle. The candles and the relaxation meditation showed that you have the right strategies down for handling stress.
Hello Stephen
Thank You for the great tips in your post, And all the reading material you suggest . I certainly
will make that part of my next project in learning. One can not get enough learning.
Again Thank You
Sharon Johnson recently posted..Starting Over On Internet Marketing
Personal leardership is something about unleashing our own potential and going beyond that but in good manner.We have to understand the importance of time and don’t be afraid of change.