Issue #373: Stress is Like Exercise
Good morning. It’s Friday, August 2nd.
In today’s email:
Learn: Stress is Like Exercise
Think: Toxin —> Fuel
Watch: Olympic Medal Count
Speed Read: Yurchenko Double Pike
Brain Games: Two Quickies
Stat of the Day
Less than half of American adults are “very satisfied” with life. (Gallup)
Learn
Stress is Like Exercise
I was thinking back to a concept - we’re not supposed to raise “happy” kids, we’re supposed to raise “resilient” kids.
We’ve spent most of this summer having fun. The kids are at camp, we’ve been traveling and the TV rules went flying out the window when the Olympics started - my 3-yr old can now recognize Simone Biles in a commercial.
But it seemed like there was more fighting, more mini-tantrums. Why couldn’t they just understand how good they had it?
It goes back to the happiness formula from last week’s newsletter:
Even for kids it isn’t just about fun - you need the other inputs too.
So how do we get Satisfaction?
The answer might not be satisfying - you need to suffer to experience joy.
Suffering suggests there needs to be some sort of struggle or stress involved. But isn’t stress horrible for our health & longevity?
No - stress is actually essential. We need stress to achieve optimal performance.
It’s a good thing when we feel stress before a presentation, before the last day of the quarter, before a race. That’s when cortisol and adrenaline serve us the way they’re supposed to.
Fight or flight was just that - in a life-threatening situation, which in evolutionary terms is not that long ago, happened to all humans pretty much all the time - a way for the brain and body to become almost superhuman to outrun the lion or fend off a rival.
We need those hormones to be at our best. Studies actually show that short-term challenges cause neurons in the hippocampus in the brain to grow.
Richard Friedman calls this “growth anxiety.”
Think of it like exercise. Working out significantly stresses our body. But we know it’s temporary so this short-term pain pays dividends for us in the long-run.
Stress does the same thing.
Without it - we wouldn’t be as good leaders, partners, athletes…parents.
But after a certain point, or after a certain amount of time - we need to release this stress and get back to our parasympathetic nervous system (rest & digest) being in control.
When we can no longer handle the stressor it becomes “toxic anxiety.”
Unfortunately, most of us struggle with this balance and that’s why stress has become such a detriment to our mental and physical health.
I can relate - founding a start-up (that doesn’t pay the bills like my old job yet) with two little kids (one who doesn’t exactly love sleep) is a recipe for chronic stress. I can easily find myself on the wrong side of that chart.
But stress only becomes toxic if: 1) it lasts too long; or 2) we don’t have the tools to overcome it.
This last point is key. I’d argue the media has made us too focused on eliminating all stress - rather than acknowledging that stress is ok - in fact, it’s what enables growth, and as we now know satisfaction, in life.
Just like what’s best for kids - we shouldn’t solely chase enjoyment. Instead, we need to seek out challenges and build our resilience so that we’re more satisfied and fulfilled.
Scrolling down for the answer to our Brain Teaser doesn’t make you feel satisfied - you only get that emotional high when you solve the puzzle on your own.
Oh and the cool part - just about everything we do to strengthen our longevity also makes us more capable to keep stress in the “growth” zone before it becomes “toxic.”
Think
Toxin —> Fuel
Identify one (1) thing that stresses you out that you think is a detriment to your health and quality of life.
How can you build your resiliency to better handle this stressor?
Can you reframe that stressor as something that actually makes you stronger?
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Watch
Olympic Medal Count
Nothing better than seeing your kids be amazed by what these Olympic athletes prove the human mind and body is capable of. From Simone Biles' unreal vaults to swimmers defying the idea we are land creatures to divers death-defying (at least for me) flips from 10 meter platforms, the blend of athletic prowess and Parisian beauty makes this an unforgettable experience.
It’s been awesome having Peacock (just for one month) to actually watch the sports you want to see. It’s not just the big events - but the surfing (from Teahupo’o one of the craziest waves in the world in Tahiti), the handball, the badminton, the water polo, the rowing, even the archery. It’s fun to check out the medal count - but some argue this isn’t fair given our population advantage, but regardless enjoy the games!
In the News
Simone is the G.O.A.T.: Biles left no doubt by executing the world’s hardest vault in Olympic competition. Dig in and discover the incredible physics behind Simone Biles' Yurchenko double pike in Paris yesterday! (WIRED)
50% of Dementia Cases Preventable: A major study finds roughly half of dementia cases can be prevented by addressing 14 key risk factors. Discover how simple lifestyle changes like exercise and being social can delay or prevent dementia. (Source)
New AI Model for Heart Monitoring: A new AI tool simplifies heart monitoring while maintaining the accuracy of traditional 12-lead ECGs. Learn how this innovation increases access, reduces costs, and improves patient safety. (Source)
Brain Games
Two Quickies
Grab a stopwatch and answer these two questions as fast as you can…
Question 1
Question 2
Credit: The 1% Club
**For answer, scroll to the bottom of the post
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Thanks for another great week!
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** Brain Games Answer **
Question 1: Tesla
Question 2: Two Words
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