👋 Hey.
Welcome to issue #25 of The Everyday Athlete Newsletter. Thanks for being here.
Here are my 3 favourite ideas, learns and resources to help you improve your performance this week (3.5 min read):
💡 Majoring in the minors
Every week there’s a new high-performance toy that promises the world.
Nootropics. Seed extracts. Oxygen trainers.
Making it easy to get Shiny Object Syndrome (being constantly distracted by anything new).
And like a good little consumer, I’m usually the first in line.
So sometimes I have to step back and ask myself:
Am I giving too much attention to shit that doesn’t really make a difference? And not enough to the stuff that does?
Am I majoring in the minors?
Here’s the thing:
Trigger guns, supplements and all the other toys are definitely valuable. But only if we’ve got the foundations laid.
Neuroscientist and performance wizard Andrew Huberman just shared his top 5 actions supporting mental health, physical health and performance.
Here they are [and how I interpret them]:
- 😴 Sleep [8+ hours]
- 🏊 Movement [daily]
- 🥑 Nutrients (macro and micro) [80% wholefoods]
- ☀️ (Sun)light [10-20 mins every morning, limit artificial after sunset]
- 🤝 Relationships [depth > breadth]
So next time Shiny Object Syndrome hits or we’re feeling off, this list could help us refocus on the important stuff.
So we can major in the majors.
🎙 Podcast: The Mindset Masterclass
The difference between good and great isn't luck or talent.
It's mindset.
This podcast is a 100-minute deep dive on mental toughness (with some of the world’s top performers).
My highlights:
1. ⏱ Mel Robbin’s 5-second rule
The 5-second rule is for anytime you want to make a change or take action in the face of resistance, negative emotions or fear.
The idea is to count backwards from 5. Like a rocket taking off.
Yep, it sounds dumb.
But she says it helps us break the subconscious patterns of thoughts and behaviours that run our lives.
“Counting backwards requires focus which switches on your pre-frontal cortex… It’s a form of metacognition… It gives you a moment of control over what you think and do next. That’s the genius of it.”
Try it next time you can't get out of bed in the morning. Or procrastinating. Weirdly works.
2. 💯 James Lawrence’s “100% physical, 100% mental” philosophy
People often debate the performance make-up: “It’s 80% mental, 20% physical”…
James says we’re thinking about it the wrong way.
“It’s 100% physical. And it’s 100% mental. You cannot rely solely on one or the other to get you through. You have to be so strong in both or it just doesn’t work.”
3. 😥 Susan David on discomfort
She says that discomfort is the price of admission to growth and improvement.
“The edge of our ability is where we grow the most”
So don't avoid, but dive into hard/scary things.
You can listen to the podcast here.
🚴 A healthier brain in 6 minutes of pain
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein in the body that helps:
- 🧠 Brain cells grow and survive
- ⚡️ Creates new connections and signalling pathways in the brain
New research published in the Journal of Physiology found 6 minutes of high-intensity exercise boosted BDNF levels by 4-5x.
It was done on a stationary bike: 6x 40 seconds on (100% effort), 20 seconds off (25% effort).
Tack it on the end of a gym session for better brain formation, function and memory.
That's it!
Have a great weekend 🤙
Matt
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