Stride to Success: Take a Walk with the Greats

December 13, 2023 by Shmuel Katz Leave a Comment

Join the ranks of legends of all types: Albert Einstein, Aristotle, Winston Churchill, Steve Jobs, Sigmund Freud, and others. What do they all have in common? They made time for regular walks and built their thinking & meeting time around them.

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A simple walk can be so impactful, especially if our plate is full or overflowing, however, it still may feel difficult to fit in all our priorities.

Walks can be naturally integrated into a schedule without disrupting the day. The opportunities are many: begin a walk upon receiving a phone call (especially the lengthy ones), park the car further away for those extra footsteps, build a walk into wake up or wind down routines, utilize a portion of your lunchtime for a digestion walk, get off one stop before your destination on public transit in order to walk the rest of the way, and of course, walking meetings/discussions.

By reframing the importance of a walk, it will become easier to make them happen:

Reduced Sedentary Time

It is easy to get lost in our sitting (or even standing) workspaces. Besides for the benefits derived directly from walking, being active also counteracts the pitfalls of staying stationary for too long.

Because it is easy to stay sitting for too long, walking, for most, is a simple and proactive solution.

Relationship and Connection

Whether or not we are taking a walk with somebody (i.e. conducting a walking meeting with a client/coworker, or catching up with a friend), walking can prompt a focus outside of ourselves. This shift in focus can bring us the much needed reset we may not have known we needed.

Humans are social & connective beings with a need for interaction. Even if we don’t know the people we are walking by (nor actually say “hi”) there is basic and important connection being made by walking about. Additionally, we naturally connect to our environment. As we walk by plants, animals, and receive a rush of wind, we are widening our focus, even temporarily, and taking care of our connective needs.

Physical & Mental Health

Blood flow & mood reset are the low hanging fruit of taking a walk. Our bodies are built to be active. As we help our blood flow more easily to the rest of our body, delivering oxygen and nutrients to our brain & body’s tissues, we can be confident that we’re aiding a physical reset. As we take a brief break from our working environment, we can guide ourselves to reset our stress levels & refresh our mood.

Creativity, Focus, & Productivity

Physical activity does wonders for our thinking. Whether we pair it with quiet time for ourselves or engaging in conversations and problem-solving discussions, we can step into fresh perspectives and renewed innovative thinking. Our creativity, focus, and productivity are essential elements in our value creation, however, they can only be as effective as our self care.

Various studies and researchers have even concluded that adopting a habit of walking will aid in a longer and healthier life.

Walking is a paramount example of how consistent and small investments can add up to a profound outcome. After half an hour, you can expect to have walked 1-1.5 miles (for those walking between 2-3 miles per hour). At a rate of three times per week over 50 weeks, that is 150-225 miles built into the year!

This small investment in your schedule may be your ticket to walking confidently with the greats.

What aspects of your routine, if shared, would others benefit from?
We’d love to hear from you at [email protected]

The Much-Needed Vacation

December 11, 2023 by Shmuel Katz Leave a Comment

For how many people do work thoughts pop into mind when on vacation? By fully taking the time off, we are more inclined to properly rejuvenate and make a revitalized and excited return to work.

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A healthy work life balance has become an obvious priority for many companies. When it comes time for a vacation it may not be enough to simply take time off and check out from work. By setting intentions and carrying out purpose with our time off, we’ll be less inclined to think about work during the break.

Instead of solely prioritizing the cessation of work tasks, it is also beneficial to have intentionality and uplifting activities (and even goals!) to look forward to for the time off.

Having personal goals, and taking maintenance & wellbeing seriously, have great impact on both the short & long-term.

Let’s look into some areas of interest to make this a reality:

Hobbies

Many have shelved hobbies collecting dust. When space is given for focus on those hobbies, a wholesome revitalization often accompanies with it. Besides the profound personal benefits, people who have enjoyable hobbies will also be better workplace employees. Everybody wins. Additionally, companies who genuinely encourage employee wellbeing will reduce turnover and find their employees investing back into the company.

Relationships

Another great area to focus on are social, familial, and communal circles. These relationships help us self-actualize and have effect in and outside of work. When in a work rhythm, it can be hard to allocate extra time and energy, even to those important to us. Nurturing healthy relationships can have profoundly positive effects in multiple (and unforeseen) arenas of life. When time away from work is granted, consider investing some of it in this direction.

Something Completely New

In order to jump into something new, preparation and extra time are sometimes required to make it worthwhile. Continuing a personal project may be a big investment, but may require less adjustment time as it is flexing familiar muscles. To engage in a new experience may not be as straightforward and may require time to adjust.

For example, going camping for a night is a wonderful thing (for some), but the connective feeling of nature is just settling in as it is time to leave the campsite. On the other hand, two or three nights (or more) may yield radically upgraded benefits in comparison. Some of the most impactful experiences require the proper amount of time; plan for them when there is time off work.

If leaving work is the goal, what will be the demeanor of the employee at the conclusion of the time off? Many will return unmotivated. That approach is too short sighted and creates unfulfilled employees.

Let’s consider a computer that is restarting. On the surface, it seems as though it is simply powering down, rebooting, and returning ready to work again. When the computer is restarting, however, there are intentional processes happening behind the scenes that allow it to return refreshed.

While it is important for employees to take time off responsibly, it is additionally important for the company to encourage effective vacationing. Inviting this practice into the workplace culture is not only a benefit for the employees themselves, but also for the teams they work with, and the company as a whole.

Do you have comments, ideas, questions, or suggestions? Share with us at: [email protected]

Why Is It So Difficult to Delay Immediate Gratification?

December 6, 2023 by Shmuel Katz Leave a Comment

Delaying gratification is a habit of people who predictably have higher quality careers, relationships, health, and finances. This matters both for chocolate intake & investment activity. So how do we further embody this trait?

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Upgrading in this way requires feeling ok with being dissatisfied. It will require turning down pleasure. If, however, we understand that the pleasure we’re turning down is short-term, we may be better equipped to hold out for long-term gains.

So where are the pitfalls and how do we avoid them? Let’s explore some factors at play:

Your Social Circle

Who you surround yourself with influences your habits; this is nothing new. What we may not have considered is how our boundary placement, or pursuit towards immediate gratification, may parallel those we spend time with. Spending more time around people we most wish to emulate makes a difference. Whether or not we are in a position to do this, being aware of the habits, big and small, that others project may help us drive our own best practices.

Break the Goal into Smaller Steps

Sometimes immediate gratification is appealing because we are unaware of the progress we are making. If we break a task, project, or day into parts, we can celebrate wins along the way. When we are present with the successes that we are already achieving, we may be less inclined to reach externally for fulfillment.

Environment

Where you invest time and energy may encourage (or discourage) you from avoiding unneeded rewards. By finding fulfillment in a particular environment, you may also be training your brain to adopt the habits that you embody while there. Your brain may perceive those habits as good and helpful for you, whether or not they are. Choosing a setting that brings out the most desirable version of you is key.

Uncertainty About the Future

If the future is uncertain or seems distant, you may have difficulty connecting your present actions to future outcomes. This can lead to a focus on immediate rewards rather than long-term goals.

In a world of such abundance, what is one to do? Reassuring oneself that there will be future enjoyable experiences can be very helpful in the present when one is forgoing gratification. This will allow our modern mind to overcome ancient instincts to reach for that extra serving or to play the extra episode.

Goal Setting

If you have a trajectory, you have reason to opt for future gratification. If you know you’re going to celebrate a great victory, it can be easier to turn away an oncoming distraction. By going this route, you are further cementing in the habit of delayed gratification.

To be sure, this doesn’t mean that we should leave behind all immediate gratification.

This does, however, leave us with a few key questions: What habits are helping us, and what are holding us back?

What habits, if left behind, would propel us to even larger wins?

Do you have comments, ideas, questions, or suggestions? Share with us at: [email protected]

Never Use Seven Words, Where Four Will Do

December 4, 2023 by Shmuel Katz Leave a Comment

What good is the greatest mid-conversation lecture or public speech if the message isn’t absorbent?

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Generally, a listener can sincerely take away and integrate only a portion of what is being said, especially if it is lengthy. A key component to delivering a succinct message, with staying power, is internal clarity on the ‘why’ & the exact ‘what’ of the message. Dedicating time to clarifying these components will convert your short term impact to long term results.

Let’s explore ways in which we can more effectively deliver our messages:

Practical Approaches

Trim the Fat

Before speaking, mentally review your ideas and remove anything unnecessary to the main takeaways. Challenge yourself to convey the same message with fewer words while retaining clarity.

The 5-Second Rule

Give yourself a strict time limit for speaking when responding to questions or providing input. The constraint will encourage brevity and prevent over-explanation.

The Power of Three

When presenting ideas, limit each key point to three concise elements. This not only aids memorability but also prevents unnecessary details that may dilute your message.

Pause for Impact

Embrace strategic pauses during your speech. This allows your audience to absorb information and gives you a moment to choose your words carefully, promoting efficiency and impact.

Storyboard Your Points

Visualize your ideas like a storyboard. This mental exercise encourages you to focus on the most critical aspects, helping you articulate your message with greater efficiency. Drafting other styles of outlines may also be beneficial in similar ways.

When was the last time you remembered the entirety of a really great speech? If it was really great, even then, we often only recall snippets as memorable scenes in our personal movie.

“Less is more” is a cliché for good reason, and when the ‘less’ is purposeful & well thought out, it can go even further.

Do you have comments, ideas, questions, or suggestions? Share with us at: [email protected]

Neuroplasticity & Performance: Your Brain’s Superpower

November 13, 2023 by Shmuel Katz Leave a Comment

Your adaptable and agile team is able to hurdle whatever arises along the way. Promoting proper maintenance for the brain, however, will help you extend your endurance for the marathon.

Neuroplasticity is crucial because it underscores the brain’s incredible ability to adjust. It is a foundation of our ability to thrive in an ever-evolving world.

What is Neuroplasticity?

Neuroplasticity is the brain’s remarkable ability to restructure itself by forming and reorganizing synaptic connections between neurons. This process involves changes in synaptic strength (synaptic plasticity), the physical reorganization of the brain’s structure through the creation of new neurons and connections (structural plasticity), and the brain’s ability to redistribute functions in response to injury (functional reorganization).

In essence, neuroplasticity allows the brain to adapt, learn, and recover by altering its neural pathways, forming new connections, and sometimes even relocating functions to different areas. This adaptability is fundamental to learning, memory, and recovery from injuries, indicating that the brain is not a static organ but a highly adaptable and dynamic one.

Neuroplasticity is likened to your brain being a super-flexible muscle. When you practice something your brain changes and gets better at that thing.

Think of it like this: when you learn something new, your brain makes connections between brain cells. It’s like building roads between cities so they can be traveled between. The more you practice or learn, the stronger these connections get.

Practical Points

General health practices (good sleep, eating healthy, making time for exercise, etc.) are great for the brain’s neuroplasticity, but what are some others?

Play Chess and Learn to Juggle

Even if you’re unable to finish a game of chess, but only able to start one (on one of the many available and free resources), engaging with this type of problem solving has proven to be excellent for our brains. Not convinced? There is compelling research detailing the difference in brain matter of those who do not play chess and those who are highly skilled at it. It seems to be a worthy investment of free time.

There is also research that juggling, as a dual-task activity, can strengthen the brain’s abilities to be neuroplastic. It might be time to store that set of juggling balls in your desk drawer for between tasks.

Journaling and Reflective Writing

Maintain a journal where you regularly reflect on your experiences, decisions, and leadership challenges. Writing about your thoughts and feelings can promote self-awareness and emotional processing, both of which are associated with increased neuroplasticity. This practice can also help you gain insights into your leadership style and identify areas for improvement.

Implementing a New Status Quo

We have heard of the wonders of meditation and mindfulness, but it can be quite difficult to make time for them. Here is a new angle to consider. By taking time out of your busy life to calm your mind, you are hard wiring in neural pathways to return back to that state. This means, when life gets tough, you will have an easier time ziplining back to some degree of that state you experience when you slow down, listen to yourself, and focus on something simple like your breath.

Adopt a Growth Mindset

Make it a habit to reframe obstacles as learning experiences. This shift in perspective can make it easier to adapt to change, overcome challenges, and habitually form strong new synaptic connections.

Creative Hobbies, Lean into Them

It can be easy to discount a creative hobby with so many other things to do. When we’re aware that these hobbies are helping keep our brain strong, we may have more motivation to pursue creative hobbies such as painting, music, writing, or crafting. These activities spur on creativity and divergent thinking, promoting the formation of new neural pathways associated with innovation and problem-solving.

Taking Stress Reduction Seriously

It can be hard to believe there’s a good reason to stop and intentionally reduce our stress when there are many important things that need to be done. It only seems to slow us down. However, when we understand that we’re rewiring towards a more positive status quo, even in the face of stressful activities, we may find reason to take our stress reduction journey more seriously.

Purpose Driven Brain Formation

It helps to have a strong reason behind your pursuit. If you have an interest to make a change, cement new habits, and reinforce growth, it is worthwhile to attach a reason to it. Do it for your wife, children, and their future, or for your future earnings potential, or for your community, or for all three. When you make it concrete in your being why you’re engaging with this hard work, you will find yourself able to sustain it over the long run. The stronger and clearer the purpose, the greater dividends it will pay.

Having good habits at the ready to implement is a good way to stay ahead of the curve. Instead of trying to steer away from a negative habit, have a task ready to begin practicing and you’ll rewire your brain towards the new habit, overwriting the bad one.

Neuroplasticity in and of itself is not inherently good, it is dependent on what habits we mold our brain around. If you have been getting out of bed on the first alarm every morning for the past 20 days, keep it up, you’ll surely rewire your brain even more after 200 days. If you pick your nails while nervous, try to end the habit now. The more you continue the more you’ll wire in and strengthen that negative response to stress.

Uncovering your brain’s potential is a roadmap for upgrade and resilience in every facet of your life.

Do you have comments, questions, ideas, or suggestions? Share with us at: [email protected]