Just left a Crossfit workout called “12 Days of Fitmas” and absolutely got rocked and it got me thinking….. I turned 50 this past month and at the beginning of this year, one of my goals was to be in the best shape of my life at 50. The pandemic hit and I would say that it put a damper on that goal at least for the first few months and then I had some friends kick me in the ass and get me going. Having former pro athletes in your circle will have that effect. I have always been up and down with my workout routines, diet and focus with sharpening my saw. One thing remains true and that is every area of my life is better when I am dialed in both in the kitchen and in the gym. A silver lining of the pandemic has been going from 250k miles a year in the air to 0 overnight. With that time and being grounded, it has opened room for new good habits including meditation, sleep/recovery, controlling the kitchen, more time with family and locking into a healthy fitness routine. On top of that, one of my new ventures is health and wellness related and speaking about those topics each day with world-class experts has shed new light for me on being healthy. Maybe it was the age of 50 that kicked me into another gear. I feel maybe 35 and when I skate I usually play with friends much younger than me and that has also been a motivation to keep my legs and wind.
Having executive stamina is something that’s been long written about, especially for a new senior executive or when in start-up mode like I am now. Having less but more restful sleep, the ability to focus on a myriad of tasks, staying present with family and friends and finding time to do the things we love is absolutely critical for an executive looking to perform at the highest levels. I still read 100 books a year and that’s been the case for years, in fact, I exceeded that this year with the downtime due to the pandemic - I do miss airplane time however as I could down an entire book on one flight depending on the haul length. The body reacts negatively to stress and most executives feel that stress day in and day out, being dialed in can subside that stress and prime you to deal and crush it. I’ve also recently discovered Nootropics and have been taking something called Clear Performance from a company called MASF and I definitely feel the difference through the course of the day. MASF’s tagline is also Mindset Is Everything, which is very true - they are owned by a former Navy Seal, so that is evident in their ethos.
Take the time to sharpen your saw- take a daily walk, go from the couch to 10k, try to get to 100 pushups a day, buy a Whoop and focus on your strain vs recovery - whatever works for you. I guarantee all areas of your life will click-in if the discipline and accountability of your health is a priority. If you are reading this, I know that you believe that to be true. Be well, Paul.