The Key To Peak Performance

James clear recently wrote an article on The 1% Rule.

I don’t know James. But I wish I did because his insights were spot on.

And he uncovers one of the greatest (and possibly least known) truths of reaching the pinnacle of success (and in any field you choose)

Imagine two women swimming in the Olympics. One of them might be 1/100th of a second faster than the other, but she gets all of the gold medal. Ten companies might pitch a potential client, but only one of them will win the project. You only need to be a little bit better than the competition to secure all of the reward. Or, perhaps you are applying for a new job. Two hundred candidates might compete for the same role, but being just slightly better than other candidates earns you the entire position. – James Clear 

Basically, to reach the very top, achieve success, or accomplish whatever goal you have, you don’t need to be a million times better than the competition… just a little better will do.

A little better is enough.

It’s a winner-takes-all world. And even a little improvement can have a staggeringly positive return.

The best in the world know this. And use it to their advantage.

So how do the best of the best get this edge?

Simple.

They understand (and respect) a simple truth that most people do not.

They know, the key to peak performance is a peak performing brain.

Period.

The secret of the world’s highest achievers ss understanding that the key to peak performance is a peak performing brain

Better brain = better performance.

Every. Single. Time.

And better performance = better pretty much everything.

This is because the brain is the body’s control center and is responsible for mood, behavior, attention, etc

And it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to understand that the brain is responsible for, well, pretty much everything you do.

• The frontal lobes are responsible for problem solving and judgment and motor function
• The parietal lobes manage sensation, handwriting, and body position
• The temporal lobes are involved with memory and hearing
• The occipital lobes contain the brain’s visual processing system

Which basically just means that whatever you think, feel, or do… is thanks to your brain…

 

Your Brain’s To Blame

Struggling with brain fog, get easily distracted, or have trouble focusing? It’s your brain.

Short on willpower, contentment, or confidence? It’s your brain again.

Feeling tired, fatigued, and living off coffee? Yup, feel free to blame your brain.

And wish you had more willpower, drive, or motivation? That would be your brain too.

Because your brain is the one sending these signals.

But just like these symptoms aren’t your fault… (which doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do something to fix them… but more on that later)

Well, these symptoms aren’t really your brain’s fault either.

Because your brain is doing EXACTLY what it was designed to do.

Which is: To keep you alive.

• It doesn’t care that you can’t focus at work – there might be a tiger lurking behind the file cabinet

• It doesn’t care that you need to give a speech – public speaking means potential humiliation… which means being cast out of the tribe… which means death

• And it doesn’t care that you want to go to the gym after work, want to choose salad over fries, or want to play with your kids but are just too exhausted  – because all your brain is thinking is “Must. Conserve. Energy. At. All. Costs.”

Perceived Stress = Real Stress

As we already discussed here (Part 1: Confessions of a Professional “Attention Dealer”) our brains literally cannot tell the difference between the perceived stress from an urgent email or an angry client, or stress our ancestors had to face running from a saber-tooth tiger trying to hunt us down for dinner.

This is why you simply can’t “outthink” or “outwork” your brain.

Positive thinking. Productivity “hacks”… even most brain training games simply don’t work. (You’re not about to beat a couple millennia of evolution with an app and a few affirmations ;))

But it also poses some significant challenges for those who want to reach the next level of mental performance.

And given the present state of the world we live in your brain is doing the best it can.

But for many, this isn’t enough. And they (understandably) want more.

More focus. More clarity. More energy.

And less brain fog, overwhelm, and fatigue.

So how can you take control back? How can you upgrade your brain for better focus, clarity, and energy?

We’ll talk about that next…

CONTINUE >>