These gentlemen are concerned about energy usage and recovery in four basic areas of life: Physical, Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual. Stress enables growth in each area, but recovery is necessary to avoid strain. Our bodies function on oscillatory wave function, so it is important that times of stress are followed by times of recovery. Straight-line activity is as dangerous for us, in the long run, as is a straight line on an oscilloscope measuring heart or brain activity.
Their work with professional tennis players showed them that there was very little difference in the skill levels of the top players and the lower echelon players. The difference was in their recovery routines during the sixteen to twenty seconds between points. The top players all did the same things, which enabled them to drop their heart rate as much as twenty points. The lesser players maintained level heart rates, and during a three hour match, they became fatigued.The researchers also determined that professional athletes spend about 90% of their time training, and 10% in actual performance. They also have significant time to recover in their off-seasons. Business people spend nearly 100% of their time performing, and very little of it in training. Therefore, business people need energy management even more than professional athletes do!
They also shared that 95% of what we do is according to our habits, and only 5% is according to an act of the will. Therefore, if our actions are not appropriate, we must change our habits. It is not enough to decide that we will act differently. We must develop new ways of doing things. They suggest developing rituals that we discipline ourselves to follow, in order to develop the habits which will change our lifestyles.Dr. Cloud said we need Grace - Unmerited Favor - in order to bring about change in our lives. If insanity is doing the same thing, and expecting different results, then, how can I expect to lose 20 pounds in the next year, if I only try harder to do the same things I have purposed to do for the past five years. He says that we rarely fail in new ways - the old ways are sufficient!
I either have to try something different, or I have to get some outside help, or both! I need discipline from the outside - Grace. So, I need a coach in the area of Energy Management, to help me develop new rituals, which will achieve what I want to do - lose weight. By following the rituals for 30-60 days, I will get in the habit of doing what I need to do to properly manage my energy, by eating right, exercising right, and getting the proper energy recovery. The result will be more energy, at the right time, an appropriate weight loss, and a new, healthier life-style!