SoulCycle has become a national obsession, and Fitbits are becoming more popular than regular watches. If you’re also part of the fitness craze – kudos! It’s one of the healthiest things you can do in your spare time.
But can you say the same thing about your mind? Isn’t strengthening that just as, if not more, important?
You can train your brain to become just as strong as your abs, and build up the success muscle to take on anything during the workweek. And you’ll be in good company; everyone from Oprah to Einstein has done mental exercises to avoid stagnation and see their success soar.
Here are some mental workouts you can start doing today to become just as successful:
Push it to the limit
Your workday is probably a challenge in and of itself. But the world’s biggest success stories know they can never stagnate with their goals.
Take Oprah Winfrey – if she had remained at AM Chicago, what would’ve happened to her? Probably the same thing that would’ve happened to Michael Phelps if he stayed in the shallow end.
By flexing your goal-setting muscles, you can reach higher too. To start, lock yourself in your room or office once a month, and start thinking of bigger reach goals you can work towards that week. You don’t have to tackle all of them; the key is that you’re progressing and setting your sights higher.
Learn something new every night
After a long day of work, the only thing you probably want to learn is what happened to your favorite character in the latest Orange is the New Black.
Before you get out the truffle popcorn and have a marathon Netflix session ‘till 3 AM, consider just spending 20 minutes or so learning (that’s only one episode – not a big sacrifice).
Albert Einstein once claimed that if someone spent 15 minutes a day learning a new skill, in a year they’d become an expert, and in 5 they’d become a national expert. And science proves that learning after a long day might be the best way to do it – your subconscious processes that fresh information while you’re sleeping.
Kill ANTs
Don’t get out the bug spray just yet. Dr. Daniel Amen, author of Change Your Brain Change Your Life, claims ANTs (automatic negative thoughts) are one of the most harmful things for your brain.
Negative thoughts happen to everyone, but the worst thing you can do is let them rattle in your brain and drag your day down. That’s why Dr. Amen recommends taking a few minutes to question these thoughts daily. So if anything’s been dragging you down, focus on how you can change your perspective and realize your fantastic self despite it – it’s well worth the effort.
Share your workout!
Do you have any great workouts (mental or otherwise)? The Tribe wants to hear them! Don’t forget to see their great routines too.
