The Secret Weapon to a Sharper Mind and Better Business… How Exercise Changed My Life. That is the title of an article Mel Robbins wrote for Success Magazine after interviewing Dr. John Ratey. Dr. Ratey is the author of the book, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain.
The interview with Dr. Ratey changed Mel Robbins life… for the better. In the article, Mel writes:
- Dr. Ratey’s explanation of how exercise impacts your brain is amazing. Dr. Ratey has proven that when you exercise, it changes the physical structure of your brain! It increases your speed of processing, your memory. In a nutshell, science has proven that exercise primes your brain for success and makes you smarter.
- Dr. Ratey informed me that if you want to think clearer, beat stress, put the damper on your depression and boost your confidence, you only have to do one thing: exercise.
- Dr. Ratey’s research gave me new motivation to go for a run. Now, for the first time, I am able to see exercise for what it truly is – a way of getting what I want, a way of priming my brain for success, a secret weapon.
The author goes into additional detail outlining how listening to and acting on the research and advice of Dr. Ratey has changed her life… and her business… for the better.
We all know we should exercise… for a million different reasons. Many people dread and hate exercise. I absolutely love exercise. Why? Because I combine exercise with several of my greatest passions; reading, research, learning, thinking, brainstorming, writing and mentally preparing for presentations and facilitation.
Almost all of the reading, research, and mental preparation for almost all of my writing and presentations is done while exercising. Even the dictation of ideas, concepts, sentences and paragraphs is done while I exercise. One of the best investments of my life was a small, inexpensive and very light Olympus digital voice recorder that can be connected directly to my laptop via a USB port. All of the ideas and concepts (I love to brainstorm while exercising) can be downloaded and saved in appropriate files on my laptop in literally seconds. Best of all, I have 100 percent recall of those ideas, concepts and brainstorming via permanent files on my computer… and saved to an external backup for safekeeping.
Dr. Ratey’s research affirms what I have felt for years. I believe I do my best thinking and best work while exercising and shortly thereafter. Whether walking outside, inside a mall, or on a treadmill… whether riding my recumbent stationary bike for several twenty segments or doing other exercise including lifting light weights… I love exercise because it is my time to read, think, learn, evaluate alternatives, brainstorm… and yes, even write articles such as the one you reading right now.
- If you love to exercise for the pure joy and exhilaration, go for it.
- If you love exercise because it makes you feel better, go for it.
- If you love exercise because it changes the physical structure of your brain, increases your speed of thinking, improves your memory and primes your brain for success, go for it.
- If you dread or hate exercise, combine it with something you love and for which you have great passion, and then go for it.
Time spent exercising is my favorite time of the day… for all the reasons above… and a million more!
Many people believe they do not have time for exercise during their very busy day. With all due respect, their priorities are wrong and they are mistaken. Without health and a brain, nothing else matters. Without health and a brain, nothing can be accomplished (its called death and being dead). With appropriate doses of creativity and innovation, there are thousands of worthwhile goals, strategies and activities… some of them the great passions of your life… you can accomplish while Priming Your Brain for Success.
Good luck and please email me some of your successes. With your permission, I will use them in future articles and presentations.
