The High-Performance Pyramid
The framework I use to build greatness in my clients is called the high-performance pyramid. The high-performance pyramid embodies the psychological wisdom leading to great performance and success. It is based on over 30 years of empirical and experiential knowledge, and I use this framework to change cultures and develop talented individuals. It is a model of human development and a framework that can augment mental health and well-being.
Most people have no idea of their full potential but to realise their full human potential they must have a structure; the high-performance pyramid gives you that structure and if you are disciplined enough to follow the wisdom of the pyramid you will transform every element of your life.
The high-performance pyramid focuses on your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energy. A description of how to activate your physical energy systems lies below.
Physical Energy
The first energy system in the high-performance pyramid is the physical energy system. The physical energy system is the foundation of every transformation. Every athlete and sports coach has this wisdom but many business organisations that try to make changes in their culture fail to recognise this principle. If your workforce does not have high levels of physical energy, they won’t achieve anything.
Physical strength, and aerobic, and anaerobic abilities are essential for enhancing human performance. People in the corporate world never teach this wisdom. Moreover, they never allow their workforce time to work on developing their physical energy.
To create a great physical energy system, you need to do three things well. The first thing you need to do is control your sleep patterns. The human body functions better when it has good sleep patterns. The top sleep neurologists in the world will tell you, people need to have at least 8 hours of sleep a day and you need to go to bed for sleep at the same time every day. This is what works best.
In the world of psychotherapy, the first thing psychotherapists will ask a client is how much sleep in a day they have. Psychotherapists know that people who have poor sleep patterns struggle to regulate positive emotions and control negative thoughts. They also struggle with physical, cognitive, and spiritual functioning. When you train elite athletes, you must embed good sleep patterns into their daily rituals, otherwise, they will not get better. They will not have the capacity to learn new things, and they will not be able to cope with the physical demands of the sport. So, sleep patterns are fundamental to achieving greatness.
The next important factor related to physical energy is the type of food you eat. Foods have a dramatic effect on your emotions, your concentration, and your physical energy. Elite athletes eat highly nutritious foods every day. They hydrate regularly and they make sure they do not take substances such as alcohol, which destroy their physical capacity. Most businesses that are trying to use psychological techniques to transform their culture fail to recognise this fact.
The next physical factor that affects the physical energy system is exercise. Elite athletes do not need to be reminded of this wisdom, but many people who are not engaged in elite sports fail to recognise exercise as a number one transformational tool.
People who exercise are happier, live longer and have more success in life. Exercise creates dopamine and releases it from the brain like no other intervention strategy other than sex and addictive drugs. Exercise creates positive emotions, it reduces stress, anxiety, and depression. Exercise will protect you against diabetes and ageing diseases. Exercise is therefore fundamental if you wish to embark on the journey to greatness.
If you think of the archetype of the hero, he or she is a physical superpower. Heroes are the embodiment of greatness. They prepare their bodies with exercise every day so they can do difficult tasks in the future. They build their bodies so they can meet the challenges and demands of every situation. Heroes discipline themselves and build their bodies with exercise, good sleeping patterns and nutrition. Heroes change history. Heroes know their physical energy is fundamental to achieving their goals. Heroes think they can change the world and they pursue this messianic philosophy throughout their life.
Here are 3 strategies that will help you improve your physical energy.
- Sleep 8 hours a day — if you wake up after 6 go back to bed or find a time to nap somewhere in the middle of the day. Take melatonin gummies or drink milk before you go to bed. Camomile tea and magnesium theonate helps you sleep. Go to bed at the same time every night. Unplug your devices and meditate before bed. Create Alpha and Theta brain wave patterns with meditative practices. Shut down the conscious mind, and allow the unconscious to take over.
- Eat Nutritious foods. Do not eat processed foods, avoid sugar, bread and too many carbohydrates. Eat in moderation and explore intermittent fasting strategies. The ketogenic diet was invented to improve brain health. See if it works for you.
- Exercise every day, even if it’s just a walk in the park. Make sure you do it every day. Explore workouts that suit you. Go to the gym, do Yoga, join a keep-fit class, and explore fitness gurus on YouTube.
Sleep, nutrition and exercise will prolong your life and give you the physical energy to enhance your performance. People who achieve greatness in their lives cultivate their physical energy system. Joe Rogan is a black belt in Jujitsu, Lewis Howes is a former NBA basketball player, Ryan Holiday is a long-distance runner, and Jordan Peterson, Andrew Huberman, Joe Dispenza, and Steven Bartlett are gym rats. In addition, they all have special diets and advocate the importance of sleep in their daily routines. This is their secret to success. My advice to you is to look after your physical self. Without your physical health, you will achieve nothing. You can’t achieve greatness without cultivating physical energy.
