Growth

 Book Title : Peak performance

Book Chapter: The growth equation 

It is the new year! I believe every one of you has set your own goal!  The goal can guide us towards a better life!  What is a good goal? A good goal is SMART! The goal must Specific, Manageable, Actionable, Reasonable, and Time-bound. Break your goal into small steps and pursue it systematically.

Most of the people work hard towards the goal. However, only some of the people can achieve their satisfactory results at the end of the year. Why? This is because most people including me expect more and do less. We overestimate our ability and overuse our willpower to work hard on something. We think that we can take up the difficult task and anticipate good results. If the results do not meet your expectation, you will not be motivated to continue because you misuse your willpower. Your energy level has dropped significantly. If you do not recharge yourself and continue to work hard, you will burn out easily.  

  Here I am going to share with you how to grow yourself. Based on this book, the peak performance, there is one equation of growth.

Stress + rest = growth

This equation is applicable to all types of goals that you want to achieve.

The goal guides us to growth. After you have a clear goal in your mind, schedule in your timeline, and work towards your goal. Set a reasonable timeline when you are working on a specific task. Push and stress yourself near the fatigue level. After you have completed the task or you feel exhausted, stop and take a break for recovery. It allows you to become stronger during the recovery period. You can hang out with friends, listen to music or meditation. Free yourself from stressful environment. After you have fully recovered and energized, work hard on the same goal again and this time push yourself harder than last time. Seek the challenge that exceeds your ability. After you have reached your fatigue level, then stop and rest again. Repeat the cycle of stress and rest and it will help you to achieve your better self. Find the right balance between stress and rest can help you to achieve a long-term goal.  This can prevent burnout and you feel more satisfied in life.  

 

    This concept is similar when you are workout in the gym room. You go to the gym because you want to grow your muscle, right? In the beginning, you try to lift a weight. If the weight is too light, you will continue to challenge yourself. If the weight is heavy but it just slightly beyond your ability, you struggle to lift the weight, but you can lift it finally! You are on the edge of your limit and breakthrough slowly. You feel tired and satisfied. At that moment, stop and take a rest and continue to challenge yourself in the future. However, if you try to lift a weight that is too heavy for you, stop if you feel that it is beyond your limit. If you insist want to lift the weight, it will injure your muscle and you will doubt yourself and give up.  Our mind is like a muscle. If you stress too much, it is detrimental to your mental health and burnout. You will give up and stop trying. 

 Imagine your willpower is like a muscle, when you work hard on something and feel tired, ask yourself, is it at the edge of your comfort zone or just slightly beyond your ability? If the answer is yes, continue to push yourself and take a break after you have achieved a small goal. If the answer is no and thinks that task is far beyond your ability, step back, and take a rest and acknowledge that is your current limit. Take a rest and work hard again and one day you can break through the limit.  

   

       

 Last but not least, stress and rest and equally important. Stress demands rest and rest prolong stress. Try to understand yourself and we work hard towards the goal together!