The narrative has been set, 2020, has been “world-class training” in becoming resilient and antifragile. (and it’s not over yet)
And I suspect at this point, you’ve heard it from many people—2020 has been a challenging year, to say the least. But “challenging” does not necessarily mean it was bad, or that it was a bust; it was “world-class training” in becoming resilient and antifragile.
I will be the first to tell you, there were exasperating periods that tested me to the bone this past year, as they probably did you; anyone who tells you stuff’s not hard when everything changes are either lying or delusional. But what’s hard” is just something that isn’t easy, yet< and most of the time, it’s our story about the situation or circumstance we’re facing that’s really exacerbating the challenge.
Respectfully, as I’ve stated many times in recent posts; 2020, has been tragic for many, so “silver lining” speak about the past year, never forgets that fact; but all we can do is make the most of any situation and the world slowing and shutting down was, in fact, a boom for many people as they used this time period to become antifragile.
So overall, as an entrepreneur, I may look back on this past year as one of the worst and best of times, but one thing I do know for sure; is that it was my style of living that got me, and many other people through what could have been miserable.
It’s a paradox; as the economy was shut down for a period, which had and is having a big negative and lasting impact on many (including me) when it shut down my center for nearly 5 months; a day after Grand Opening. But among many other major “forced” changes; it also provided the space for me to complete essential projects that would have taken much longer, see my daughter grow up, and gear up for 2021. So, this was a recalibration year.
And that’s what this article is about. 2020 has been free “world-class training” in resiliency and antifragility (and it’s not over yet), as many of us have had to pivot and reposition our offerings, find new ways to sell, and move forward. And to do all of that well took wisdom to know the game we’re playing, self-mastery to play that game well during these “challenging times” when everything is being disrupted, the courage to act in the face of fear and with the love, we’ve needed in our heart to not make threats out things that are not really threats—just challenges.
We’ve also needed to rely on hope to see a better future, gratitude for every challenge we were facing (and are probably still facing to some degree), curiosity to see what we could do differently to create a new and maybe even better future out of all the disruption, and the zest (energy) to make it all happen.
So right about now, you may be wondering if this article is about a new mindset, becoming resilient, and antifragile; and that I’m proposing that up-leveling the way you think was/is the answer to coming out of 2020 thriving.
If you thought that, unquestionably that would be true, but it’s only part of what I’m talking about.
The statistics of “fragile” people who got caught up in vicious cycles and a downward spiral due to COVID 19 is anyone’s guess, but let’s just say, from what I read the numbers are not good, and given that before the pandemic only 3% of people were living a “healthy” lifestyle, it’s not saying much.
But there is a group of people in the 1%, people who are not only super resilient (bound back), they become antifragile (actually get stronger) and they’ve done it through an undeniably tough period.
What they do, in such situations is change, improve, and optimize the way they live—not just think, or eat, or workout, or even sleep, they optimize the way they “live” as a whole so that they don’t have any human performance gaps that will distract and hold them back. That’s like me.
That’s what makes certain people unstoppable leaders and why, even during the toughest of time periods, they simply don’t do what the other 97% do (largely because they don’t have the awareness or development) or actually what the other 99% do; even those who do live “healthy.” They don’t cope with stress in ways that create more stress as they are operating with a broader skill set that enables them to manage their energy like the pros, maintain or improve their health and enables extraordinary human performance.
To be unstoppable, which is not to say you don’t stop (that would be ridiculous) “healthy” is a given, but you’ve got to put particular emphasis on managing your energy. That’s how you get the power you need to “10X” (2X, 3X, 5X whatever) your performance and productivity.
And that’s what I’m talking about here. If you want to crush it in 2021, you’ve got to adopt a new lifestyle mindset and skillset that starts with making sure you managing your energy, and that you are doing so, like a pro.
You can’t be resilient, let alone antifragile when you are coping with stress that creates more stress, the way “stressed” people typically do. You’ve got to respond to stress in a way that resolves the challenging situation, enables you to evolve and achieve what you’re up to no matter what.
And that’s not just a psychological game as so many would have us believe. It’s a series of mind settings and lifestyle skill sets that all work together to stabilize one’s response such that they are capable of being resilient and becoming antifragile. Meanwhile, any approach that does NOT cultivate high levels of energy, proactively, and maintain high levels of health as a given, will see the performance of even the most talented, falter.
This is why, as a lifestyle coach, I ultimately help my clients to take the leap beyond simply eating healthier, exercising more, and maybe getting a little more sleep here and there, to a lifestyle that fully supports them and what they are up to in the world.
This is what’s called a Performance Lifestyle. All healthy high achieving people who thrive, have some form of a lifestyle that supports their performance at high levels, enabling them to accomplish and achieve at higher levels than the rest. Think athletes.
Meanwhile, 97-99% of us are simply approaching the achievement of our ambitious goals in ways that leave us coping with the crush of excess stress that stays chronic.
Why do people give up on their goals, fall short of their resolve? It’s because they run out of energy, experience overwhelms, get distracted, and ultimately held back by a number of dynamics, which could have been resolved if they had a performance, lifestyle mindset, and skillset.
The primary reason why you adopt a performance lifestyle mindset and skillset to achieve your ambitious goals is to make sure you do not tire out, burnout, and wear out; in other words, stay out of vicious cycles and the downward spiral.
There is way more to a Performance Lifestyle, but none of that matters at this point if you are not finishing this year and starting the next “strong” regardless of how tough or awesome your circumstances are. And by that, I mean you’ve got the energy to start strong. On that basis, you can learn how to manage your energy, in a performance lifestyle.
There are few challenges you can’t face head-on (some just get the best of us for a least a little while) when you have a performance lifestyle you can call your own.
If you want to learn more… join me for my next Webinar here.
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John Allen Mollenhauer is known as John Allen or by his initials “JAM” is a leading lifestyle coach and entrepreneur, and an expert at helping other entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals achieve more through a healthy performance lifestyle—free of the hidden lifestyle challenges that distract and hold most people back; such as, pain and fatigue, overeating under-nourishing food, super busyness but physical inactivity, and unsupportive thinking among several others. Ultimately, he’ll help you align the way you live with your most important goals in life.
JAM is the founder of Performance Lifestyle® Inc in Florham Park NJ. With his team, he leads an online training academy and community that starts with helping achievers learn how to manage their energy like the pros do; and then, optimize the way they live for the energy, health, and high performance they need to flourish.
Also, an expert in Performance Recovery—the restoration of physiological and psychological processes—thousands of people have been inspired by JAM to proactively recover their natural energy and apply lifestyle-based strategies to regain the zest and zeal they’re used to having and more to increase joy, productivity, and of course their quality of life.
He is married with 3 children, loves to learn, apply, improve and share, read the Bible, and watch movies!
