How to Get More Out of Every Day: Lifestyle Optimization for High Performers
Robin Connelley and
John Stanton are two successful venture capitalists who started a
sustainability-business-focused investment firm in 2007. In a field that comprised
of high stress, low rest and constant pushing for bigger and better results,
they found themselves burnt out, unhappy and frustrated with their day-to-day
reality.
"I realized my
life was no longer my own. It was always work. Wake up thinking about work. Go
to sleep thinking about work. And to what end? The VC model isn't healthy. You
have people under such immense pressure, that don't take care of themselves,
and have an emotional break at some point and it somehow blows up everything.
We knew something had to shift," Stanton said.
Enter Chōsen
Experiences, a lifestyle optimization company that Connelley and Stanton
co-founded in 2013 as a way to change the lifestyles they lived and breathed
every day in the venture capital world. Here are four core aspects of lifestyle
optimization that Chōsen believes and teaches in each experience -- tenets that
can help any high-performing entrepreneur.
Live life in accordance to your true values
Taking the time to
truly sort out your priorities in life, and then setting up a framework to live
by those values is essential to an optimized lifestyle. Those who do are
happier, healthier and perform better in their day-to-day work.
"Striving to be
non-judgmental, committing to continuous learning, and genuinely examining the
type of relationships you want to have with yourself and those around you are
not easy things to do," Connelley states. "Society tells you to be
resourceful, to be a producer, to be monetarily successful. Those aren't
values."
When's the last time
you spent time setting goals? Not goals for your business, but goals for
yourself. Goals that have you examine your health, your fitness, your
relationships, your personal growth, your mental state. Goals that go beyond
numbers and statistics.
Take some time to
examine these non-business areas of your life. You'll find that by doing so,
and then by gauging your day-to-day actions in accordance with these goals,
you'll feel more in alignment, more motivated, and more encouraged to push
further and work harder for the things that really matter.
Be connected to your body
"Waking up and
considering how your body feels, what that means, and then being able to make
an assessment as to what you need to do to take care of yourself that day is
what being connected to your body is all about," Connelley shares.
"Making that commitment first thing in the morning and following through
can change the entire trajectory of your day."
Whether it's movement
for two minutes, a full-fledged workout, a visit to a physiotherapist or simply
taking a day to rest, checking in with yourself, making that commitment and
following through is essential. Facing your reality honestly, making a
conscious choice and executing is what will help increase your productivity and
effectiveness.
It's not just about
physical movement. Nutrition also plays a big role. Knowing how your body
reacts to certain foods and knowing what you need to fuel yourself for optimal
functioning is important.
Be in touch with your emotions
Connelley and Stanton
recommend a PPI approach to each day -- and often each segment of your day.
Presence, purpose and intention (PPI) means that you take time to breathe and
recognize the present moment, doing everything in your power to focus on that,
and only that. It means clearly having and stating a purpose for that moment --
be it a meeting, a dinner or a period of relaxation. And then establishing an
intention for yourself in that situation.
I talk about this idea
in my books, articles and workshops. I call it the MVVPs -- making sure you're
tying in the organization's mission, vision, values and purpose at every
communicative touchpoint in relationships with employees and customers. Chōsen
has you do this, but instead of in a business context, for yourself.
Doing this, along with
the other elements of an optimized lifestyle, allows individuals and teams to
make calmer, more considered decisions in a non-emotional, non-reactionary way.
It's not a surprise that Connelley and Stanton often work with boards of
directors, organizational teams or business groups to bring out this faster
decision-making.
Establish healthy connections with a community of like-minded individuals
You've likely heard the
adage that you're the average of the five people you spend the most time with.
But, have you consciously thought through who these people are? Surrounding
yourself by others who have taken the time to examine their values, connect to
their body, and be in touch with their emotions yields a community with whom
you can bounce ideas, collect feedback, exchange ideas and gather different
perspectives. And it's also a community that will keep you in check when it
comes to deviating from your values.
"We aren't an
experience company for the sake of being an experience company. That's easy to
scale," Stanton says. "Instead we're focused on building the
community, strengthening the support system and maintaining the connections
that exemplify the true value in the network."
I recently had the
opportunity to preview what Chōsen has in store for 2019 and beyond during an
experience in South Africa, and I can attest to the transformations that occur
when you take intentional time away from your business to test your resolve in
non-business situations, focus on your physical and mental health and create
lifestyle goals.
More than just personal
discovery, it was about gaining new insights about the world around us. For my
experience in South Africa, we learned from world-class conservationists,
wildlife veterinarians and park rangers about the challenges to conservation
and saving endangered species around the globe. And, as with any group of
high-achievers, we all asked the question: How can we help?
That truly galvanized
exactly what Connelley and Stanton are trying to build. It's not just an
experience. It's cultivating a community of people who believe in truly
performing their best and optimizing their lifestyles to go after whatever
passions they choose -- to support one another and invest in people who you
know will deliver results because you've experienced their resilience,
determination, and approach to and in difficult circumstances first-hand.
Stanton says it best:
"When you put together a group of people who are courageous, explorers,
innovators, and doers together, the sky's the limit."
source:
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/323479
0 Response to "How to Get More Out of Every Day: Lifestyle Optimization for High Performers"
Post a Comment