The Surprising Thing That Will Skyrocket Your Results and That Most Leaders Forget
What is One Thing that will skyrocket your results and that most leaders forget? You may be surprised at the answer.
Recently, I was interviewing a CEO for my show on YouTube, Conversations with The CEO Sensei . As we were sharing our stories and discussing the upcoming episode, I found out that he is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and was an F-15 fighter pilot. The U.S. military academies are academically rigorous and demanding, and the Air Force Academy is no exception.
In addition to his studies, this CEO was a member of the Academy’s rugby team. I know from my own experience that, as a collegiate athlete, the combination of rigorous academics and the demanding schedule of practices, meetings and competition leaves little personal time or extra time for rest.
And he admitted that at times he was getting by with just four hours of sleep. When he graduated and was in flight school, he learned that as a requirement, all fighter pilots had to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night.
Did you know that your brain “washes” itself while you are sleeping? Scientists studying dementia have determined that certain enzymes in our brains can create plaque that builds up that can block neural connections. When sleeping our brains go through a process of “washing” away these harmful enzymes.
Most doctors recommend that you get 7-9 hours or restful sleep each day. And scientists tell us that our brains require downtime.
That makes total sense to me. I mean, these highly trained pilots are responsible for machinery worth hundreds of millions of dollars; and of course, their ability to make clear decisions in critical moments have life and death consequences.
What led us to this discussion was my own experiences and how important sufficient rest is to your health. I had forgotten.
I forgot to make my health one of my top priorities. And in 2018, I nearly paid the ultimate price. It’s something that most CEOs and Business Leaders forget until they are faced with life and death.
A few years ago, I was meeting with one of my clients and she told me she was feeling overwhelmed. This was a big admission for her. She was usually very focused and driven. She had built a great company and she epitomized success.
As we were walking through some of her concerns (an admitted worrier), I asked if she was getting enough rest. She replied that she could probably use some more sleep, but that as we get older, we don’t need as much rest. Whoa! That wasn’t true then and it’s not true now.
I don’t want you to make the same mistake I made, and so here is my case for why making your health, if not at least your #1 on your to-do list, should at least be your #2 priority. Get my FREE CEO GUIDE NOW
So what does making your health a #1 priority have anything to do with improving your results?
In a state of good health, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health, you are clear, calm and confident.
Daily challenges and problems are solved more effectively and efficiently. And when you are clear, calm and confident, you are better as a leader and able to more clearly anticipate problems to get ahead of them.
In a state of worry, overwhelm or even fear, you are likely to make the wrong decisions at the wrong time. Stress has a funny way of altering your perspective.
7 Recommendations That Will Skyrocket Your Results
Sleep alone is not the only determining factor in having good health. But it’s a biggie.
Here’s what I recommend to most of my clients who want to skyrocket their results, elevate their status, make better decisions and to be the leader ‘they’ want to follow:
Make Your Good Health a #1 Priority - your family, colleagues and the people you lead will appreciate that you did.
Make sure to get 7-9 hours of sleep each day. There are plenty of watches and apps that can help you manage this. ( I use my Apple watch to help me monitor my sleep).
Not only sleep, but make sure you get enough rest. If you feel like you need a nap, take a nap because you need one (sometimes 10 - 30 minutes is all you need).
Take breaks during the day to rest your brain. Studies have shown that our brains need a 5-minute break about every hour.
Physical activity is important to feeding your brain. Exercise of just about any kind is good for your mental acuity and mental health.
Focus on your breathing. The one autonomic bodily function that you have control over is your breathing. And you can directly affect your stress level by mindfully breathing to regain your focus. Meditation guides are great for finding a method that’s right for you.
Begin and end with Gratitude. Our highest level of human emotions are found in gratitude and appreciation. In that state, your ability to make critical decisions is enhanced, and you are at your best as the leader. I recommend that you list three things you are grateful for in the morning to start your day, and before turning in for the night end the day with three things you are grateful for that happened during the day.
I made my health my #1 Priority in 2019. Just before Christmas a few months earlier, my heart had stopped. I was lucky, very lucky. I survived then, and in 2019 I achieved a full recovery.
Don’t make one of the biggest mistakes that CEOs and Senior Leaders make.
To help you get started, get my Free Download, The CEO Guide. It will set you up to regain your sense of calm, clarity and confidence in any situation. Get the CEO Guide Now.
Until next time!
