What is high performance?
Is it something you do or is it something that you become? – A state of being or a state of doing?
Today, a surplus of research is underway to discover the best methods and practices to achieve one’s highest potential. Whether in sports, business, or any other performance-driven area of life – we are all constantly searching for the most efficient ways to ultimately perform better.
“Train smarter, not harder!”
This is a popular slogan that comes to mind these days. But let’s look back at where this idea of HIGH PERFORMANCE got started to uncover where it is today and possibly project where it is going.
Since I grew up in sports and continue to play professionally, let’s use sports as an example…Years ago, an athlete would practice with a team during training camp and throughout the season. He or she would either perform good or bad on game days. If you played bad, you trained harder. If you played good, you trained harder. That was pretty much it. Then, it was discovered that if you worked out in the gym and lifted weights to increase your physical strength, your performance would tend to improve.
*Begin research into STRENGTH TRAINING.
Now, there is a wealth of knowledge on the subject and thousands of professional trainers and coaches that specialize in this industry. It’s safe to say that there are incredible benefits of strength training towards increased performance in sports. Later on, it was discovered that recovery and physical therapy was vital to consistent performance at a high level.
*Begin research into RECOVERY.
Now, we have incredible physical therapists and trainers that focus on recovery and pain-free mobility. I think we can all agree that the department of ‘healing’ has improved tremendously with the developments in medical equipment supported by scientific research. Furthermore, it was discovered that nutrition and having a healthy diet played a vital role in the performance of an athlete.
*Begin research into NUTRITION.
Now, many skilled nutritionists and diet experts are transforming lives while creating a healthier community. There may be much debate as to which foods and liquids provide the best level of performance, but there is no question as to whether or not diet has an impact on one’s performance. Today, we are on the cusp of the next big discovery in high performance. Many high-performers seeking an edge already know this incredible advantage: THE POWER OF THE MIND.
*Begin research into MENTAL TRAINING.
This discovery is constantly being researched and continues to evolve. The science is just now catching up to what high performers have known for years through their own trials and errors. Training your mind towards high performance results hasn’t always been so widely accepted though. It was previously believed that maybe you could only FIX the problems between the ears with medications and therapy. However, backed by the latest technologies and research, it has been proven that one can actually TRAIN his or her mind to achieve greater results and exponentially create more potential. Gone are the days where one needs to merely survive in his or her conditions. Today is the day where one can thrive in them.
We are amidst a shift in awareness.
This awareness of the necessity of developing the mind just as you would a muscle is the reason high performers are performing even higher, world records are constantly being broken, and more people are creating happiness and fulfillment in the face of great challenges and struggles.
Awareness is one thing. Taking action is another.
Utilizing all these new resources that are now available is where HIGH PERFORMANCE truly takes flight. It’s great to understand that working out at the gym will make you stronger. But if you never pick up a weight, are you gaining any strength? If you continue to eat the same unhealthy foods, how do you expect to lose weight? If you stay in the comfort zone of only what you know now, how do you uncover what you can become?
Knowledge is power, but doing nothing with it is powerless.
There is great news though! You don’t have to be an athlete to unlock these high-performance mental tools. These principles and practices can apply to any area of life and is available for anyone. Mental performance develops a state of BEING so that you can DO whatever it is that you were meant to do. We are just scratching the surface of high performance. Our minds are incredible assets that are capable of achieving things previously thought to be impossible.
A shift is happening.
We are due for the next renaissance.
The next step in the evolution of high performance is now.
Let’s evolve together.
“There’s no difference between a pessimist who says, “Oh it’s hopeless, so don’t bother doing anything” and an optimist who says, “Don’t bother doing anything, it’s going to turn out fine anyways. Either way, nothing happens.” – Yvon Chouinard (Founder of Patagonia)
Renaissance: noun, often attributive re·nais·sance\re-nə-ˈsän(t)s,-ˈzän(t)s,-ˈsäⁿs,-ˈzäⁿs,ˈre-nə-ˌ
– a renewal of life, vigor, interest, etc.; rebirth; revival.
– a period of new growth or activity.
