If there has ever been a time to nurture our minds to be in a peak state and have a proactive approach with cultivating our mindset, it is this moment right now. I am excited to share the launch of a new book, ‘Winning Mindset – Elite Strategies for Peak Performance’ that was written by 33 athletes, coaches, and entrepreneurs from around the world. If you have ever struggled, or currently are, with your mindset, your thoughts, or beliefs that limit you, there are methods and practices that can support your mind to endure and then overcome these challenges. We all want to win in our careers, business, life, and relationships and yet the ‘winning’ we write about here begins with the mind and how or what we think. That is why I wrote my chapter on the Inner Leader and Peak Energy Performance. So how can each of us lead ourselves to a winning mind even in the tough times?
The mind is an interesting tool we have been given because it is neuroplastic which means it can change, adapt, and grow new pathways if we choose to train it. However, our brain is an organ and as such it requires many elements to be in its peak state including:
- Optimal biology with balanced hormones, neurotransmitters, and nutrients
- Good nutrition for brain health, focus, and glucose stability
- The right biochemistry for healthy mood states including endorphines from exercise
- Sleep, rest, and a body in the relaxed state of the Parasympathetic Nervous System
- Just the right amount of stimulation to be in a challenged, but not overwhelmed or stressed state
- Gut health as the main driver of health in the body and its two way communication with the brain
- Emotional regulation and resilience so the brain can be in its peak state using its executive functions
- Social interaction and support as well as the feeling of connection, community, and belonging
This seems like a large list for the brain to be at its peak; however, it may be useful to use it as a guide to see where your needs are getting met and where they could be improved. The reason I mention these is that we cannot assume that changing our thoughts and the way we think could transform our mental health and mindset if our actual chemistry is challenged and needing more support. They all work together! Yet, once many of the above have been reviewed by you, you will be surprised at how powerful developing a winning mindset will be to transform your performance.
The Inner Leader, Inner World, and Inner Game
You will read in my chapter that there are 3 key elements that support our winning mindset which include: our inner leader, our inner world, and the inner game. You will learn in the Winning Mindset book that mastering our mind begins with each of us and it requires our inner leader. The inner leader is not the automatic pilot who lets things happen, lets patterns take hold, and allows what I call the limiter to have more voice time. Instead, our inner leader is the conscious thinker who is proactively leading our thoughts and mind to where we want to lead it. I share a story about how easily our conditioning, inner critic, and limter can take hold when we are challenged and how this is the exact moment we need our inner leader to be an active, louder voice that will lead us to win in every moment we need it most.
We cannot win the outer game until we win the inner game.
We all need to be aware of not only our inner leader, but also what our inner world is and the inner game where we are most challenged. The chapter explains the interplay of these three dynamics and gives tools and tips on how to master them for yourself.
Peak Energy Performance for Leaders
In addition, I speak to how important having Peak Energy Performance is to set ourselves up for success, happiness, and the mindset of a winner. This concept is a method I created to showcase that it is our input and focus on our energy in four key areas that delivers the output or performance we want. To perform at our peak, we all get energy from 4 areas: the energy of our body, mind, emotions, and environment. Yes, I did add a fifth factor for those who choose it and that is spiritual energy. The reason this is so important for a winning mindset, is that many of us push ourselves so hard, demand so much, and deliver high output without giving enough attention to the inputs of energy we need to be at our best. To draw an analogy here, many people working today are running a marathon day after day without stopping to rest, replenish, and recover. It is not sustainable.
The peak energy inputs we need for a winning mindset include the following:
- A good nights sleep of at least 7-8 hours
- A mind with breaks from depressants such as alcohol
- Neurotransmitters that support brain health and mood such as endorphins from exercise
- Nutritious meals, vitamins, and supplements including healthy fats for the brain
- Breaks in the day to calm the body into a Parasympathetic relaxed state such as meditation, breath work, nature time
- Blocked off time where the brain is not on, it is unplugged from technology, and space to play, be creative, or wander
- Blue Mind time being on, near, around, or under water sets the mind to a homeostasis where it is relaxed
- Heart Math to bring our body, brain, and physiology into coherence
I have highlighted a few tips for you here to support your mind, mindset, and mental health to be in a peak state. To win at work, in business, at life, in relationships, and health, we must begin within with our mindset and our inner leader. Stay tuned as I will be sharing more on this topic soon.
If you would like to learn from 33 peak performance experts from around the globe and find out what their top tips are for a winning mindset, the book is available at Amazon here. The book became a best seller on Amazon in the categories of Personal Transformation, Business Organizational Change, Sports Training, and Creativity Self Help.
What is one action you will take to foster a winning mindset that you can start right away?
