Athletes train their bodies with intention. They practice their chosen activity but also take time to develop the skills needed for high performance. If our bodies benefit from both “playing the game” and “training in the gym”, why wouldn’t that same approach be true for our brains?

Today’s guest is Darcy Luoma. Darcy is the author of Thoughtfully Fit® and a highly sought-after coach and consultant who has worked with more than five hundred organizations in forty-eight industries to create high-performing people and teams. She balances her thriving business with raising her two energetic teenage daughters and competing in triathlons.

Darcy and I talk about lessons from her book Thoughtfully Fit: Your Training Plan for Life and Business Success. As you’ll hear, she uses the metaphor of being physically fit and applies it to how we think about our mental and emotional fitness so that we can be effective managers and effective humans in general.

Members of the Modern Manager community can win one of two available signed copies of Darcy’s book, Thoughtfully Fit: Your Training Plan for Life and Business Success. To be eligible, you must be a member. Join by visiting the Modern Manager community.

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Read the related blog article: Train Your Brain to Succeed at Work

KEEP UP WITH DARCY

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darcyluoma/Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thoughtfullyfitTwitter: @DarcyLuomaInstagram: @darcyluomacoachingLinkedIn Personal - https://www.linkedin.com/in/darcyluoma/LinkedIn Company - https://www.linkedin.com/company/darcy-luoma-coaching-&-consulting-llcYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaMLTzKl2YO5olR6V23aaXAPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/darcyluoma/Book: Thoughtfully Fit on Amazon

Key Takeaways:

• Just as athletes train to succeed, managers and employees can train to succeed at work.
• There are six main skills to develop in order to achieve high performance in the workplace; stillness, strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and agility. 
• For rest, create scheduled breaks in your day to recharge and think more clearly. 
• For strength, develop self-management techniques to shake off stress and interact positively with colleagues. 
• For endurance, learn how to get unstuck by sticking with problems and looking for creative solutions. 
• For flexibility, stretch yourself  to accept others how they are and work with what you have. 
• For balance, try to align what you need with what your teammates need to reach a common goal. 
• For agility, respond thoughtfully instead of defensively or chaotically when faced with upset colleagues or a surprising situation. 
• Build your “core” by learning to (1) pause, (2) reflect, and (3) respond thoughtfully as issues come up. Set scheduled times during the day to do this which will help tap into this practice when you need it during a tough moment.
• Teach your team to create boundaries and respect them. Creating times of stillness is essential so they don’t get overwhelmed and quit. 

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