Elite and world-class performance is not just about 10,000 hours of deliberate practice. We often overlook the critical research that reveals how rest plays a role in performance, the creative process, and how the best leaders, teams, and organizations on the planet don’t buy into the myth that “the faster we run the further we get.” So what is the true equation for world-class performance? Are you and your team incorporating these practices into your journey?
SHOW NOTES
1:03 – Jason welcomes all the listeners to Season 3 Episode 2 sharing the experience that the global experience now is a journey and not a trip. Listen to the season 3 opener to get more on this and listen to this great episode.
5:54 – When are people in your organization going to rest? Jason asks that question to leaders in top organizations now. Rest is not just about ignoring problems or the past. We need to change the association with that word. We need to power down every once and while and reboot our system so that we have the energy and the clarity of heart to go forward.
8:12 – We can be better at what we do when we take time to rest, to power down, to reboot.
The truth is, rest + clarity + actions = better performance.
9:12 – Americans last year left a record, 768 million days of vacation on the table unused. That is nearly $66 billion of lost benefits. Often the reason is that people are afraid to take time off. Meaning the faster I run the farther I get. We buy into this myth. You can hustle without running yourself dry.
10:29 – Malcolm Gladwell popularized the research that you need to have 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to become an expert. So we feel we need to dive in and get that practice to make it. If you dive into the research it shows that in addition to practice, all elite people also require 12,500 hours of deliberate rest and also 30,000 hours of sleep. Part of their practice was daily, monthly, and yearly deliberate rest into their practice so that they become more clear on what they need to focus on. Research shows that 20 minutes a day of rest actually helps people be more creative. The power of walks, the power of early morning routines improve performance.
13:52 – Bill Gates has think weeks, where he goes off into a cabin by himself and just reads and thinks. Jason deep dives into the power of rest is related to performance.
14:52 – Everyone has their own bio-rhythm, some are morning people, some are night people, everyone has their own. The best leaders teams and organizations take that into account. How they take care of their energy and how it is utilized are the ones that are world-class elite performers.
15:30 – Jason talks about his own experience to recharge and how this works for him. By building into his deliberate practice helps when he just shuts down for 20 minutes to relax and it rejuvenates him. Vacations are an important part of that as well. It absolutely helps him be a better person and to improve his own performance.
17:30 – In 1926 the Wallas 4 stage creative process includes 1. Preparation 2. Incubation 3. Illumination 4. Verification. Most creative thinkers realize that they are at their best when rest is part of the process of great performance.
19:40 – The book Rest says, “as we more into a world and an economy that operates 24/7 we feel the need and the pressure to push on when our bodies are pleading to rest but this is a mistake.” The reality is, we will be better when we step back and allow our bodies to rebook and rest.
Questions to Ponder:
- How do you manage your energy? Weekly, monthly, through a year, and when do you deliberately rest?
- How do you need to plan time to prepare the 4-stages of the creative process, preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification?
Remember, life doesn’t stop but we are able to bring the best energy to it when we not only deliberately practice but deliberately rest.
If you like the podcast, have a question, or just want to share your thoughts for about daring to begin please leave a comment below or please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts.
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ABOUT THE THERMOSTAT
Conversations and micro-thoughts to engage your mind and heart.
A thermostat is proactive. It sets the temperature in a room. Controls the temperature. Regulates the temperature. But in today’s distracted, fast-paced and digital world, it’s easy for individuals and organizations to act more like thermometers, slipping into reactionary thinking, becoming scattered and inconsistent. The most compelling leaders, teams, organizations, families or collection of humans of any kind operate in thermostat mode. They calibrate their mind and heart to set the temperature for the vision and culture they want to create. Jason Barger, globally celebrated author, keynote speaker, and founder of Step Back Leadership Consulting, is the host of The Thermostat, a podcast journey to discover authentic leadership, create compelling cultures and find clarity of mission, vision, and values.