Pivot from Tension to Ideation
Key Points:
1. While most of us won’t be climbing massive rock faces without a rope, we can still learn something from these extraordinary feats: that staying relaxed and avoiding tension allows for peak performance.
2. Tension hinders creativity, uses up our energy stores, and can cause aches and pains. When we relax, we are freed from these obstacles and are able to perform at our best, be creative, and achieve the mental clarity needed to go one step closer towards achieving our dreams.
“Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.”
What I’ve observed as a scientist and physiologist is that elite performers are able to achieve a state of being where they can access their full potential. One of the best examples I can think of is Alex Honnold.
Honnold is the greatest free solo climber of all time. He climbs some of the most challenging rock faces in the world without any safety equipment at all. No ropes. No harness. Just his shoes, a chalk bag, and his unprecedented abilities. On June 3, 2017, after years of intense preparation, Honnold accomplished what many argue is one of the greatest athletic feats of all time: the first free solo ascent of a face of a massive rock outcropping in Yosemite called El Capitan. It took him 3 hours and 56 minutes.
When the climb had just been completed, videographer Jimmy Chin said some interesting things about Honnold: “I expected (and prayed for) nothing less on his big day, but it was still mind-bending to see how relaxed he was in the final days leading up to the climb and of course during the climb…. What I’ve learned over the last 10 years about Alex is he isn’t the kid that shows up to do well on the exam. If it counts, he’s there to ace it, knock out the extra credit questions, and finish early. I’d say he aced his final exam yesterday with extra credit for style and composure. When he got to the top, he looked at me and said, ‘I’m pretty sure I could go back to the bottom and do it again right now.’ Congrats, bud. You crushed. It was historic, it was brilliant, it was moving beyond words.”
The fact that Honnold found it only moderately challenging is fascinating. He prepared so much that one of the greatest athletic accomplishments in human history was almost easy.
While so much of what Honnold accomplished is hard for us to relate to, I think that Honnold’s story is consistent with other great performers across various disciplines: the ability to stay relaxed while performing so that they can access their true potential and be fully creative in the moment.
It’s widely accepted that stress in the mind can lead to stress in the body, but the reverse is also true: stress in the body can compromise the mind. That’s why tension is a problem for creativity.
Tension consumes energy inefficiently and decreases circulation, leading to physical aches and pains. When you achieve a relaxed state, however, you can get relief from aches and pains and improve digestion, cardiovascular function, and sleep—all of which will improve your mental performance and allow you to access your creativity in those moments when you most need it. Maybe it’s when you’re stuck on a problem or when something isn’t working at the office. Maybe you need to change direction in life so you can have exceptional experiences and realize your dreams. For any and all of those “maybes” to happen, you need to pivot from tension to ideation.
Today’s Words of Wisdom: Ariel Garten on techniques people can use to be calm in the moment
Ariel Garten is a neuroscientist, psychotherapist, and former fashion designer who is at the forefront of the emerging field of brain-sensing technology. Ariel is co-founder of InteraXon, a startup that developed the Muse meditation headband technology that gives users real-time feedback about the state of their brain activity.
“You can relax your physiology in real time by breathing deeply or stretching a little beforehand. Deep breaths significantly change your physiology. As you breathe out, your heart rate slows. You can also focus on addressing your amygdala to reassure your system that the situation is not dangerous, that there is no need to freak out. Or you can focus on remembering a time when you felt calm and then just let that feeling seep throughout your entire body. Anything to shift the focus away from the fear toward physiological calm, physiological safety, and physiological relaxation. And, of course, you can also change the way you perceive energy you experience. Instead of choosing to view it as nervousness and stress, you can see it as excitement and channel the energy into your performance.”
Today’s Call to Action: Progressive Relaxation
If you tense your muscles for long periods of time, you will begin to feel the effects of that tension in your body and your mind. Your muscles hurt. Your patience wears thin. You become mentally fatigued. Your creativity goes out the window.
Remember, the mind–body link runs both ways, so releasing tension from the body frees the mind from strain and pressure and leads to a state of relaxation and improved ideation.
Progressive Relaxation consists of alternating 3 to 5 seconds of tension with 10 to 15 seconds of relaxation of various muscle groups. Notice the difference between the tension and relaxation:
Sit in a chair, lean back, and make yourself comfortable.
Close your eyes.
Lift your toes as high as possible. Hold. Release and let the tension go into the floor. Point your toes. Repeat.
Tense the upper part of your legs. Hold. Relax. Feel your legs against the chair and your feet against the floor.
Tighten your stomach muscles, then relax. Take a deep breath. Feel the tension in your chest. Exhale and relax.
Make tight fists with your hands and hold for about 5 seconds. Unclench your hands and let the tension flow out.
Do the same with your upper arms, then your neck.
Frown, and then relax. Take a moment to notice any other areas of tension and concentrate on releasing those as well.
Take a few deep breaths and open your eyes. You will have released your tension and created a quiet, peaceful space for creativity.
Today’s Bonus: Dr. Greg Wells Podcast
Check out this podcast episode with guest neuroscientist and entrepreneur, Ariel Garten.
The information and advice provided in this program is intended to assist you with improving your performance, as well as your general health. It is not intended and should not be used in place of advice from your own physician or for treatment or diagnosis of any specific health issue. By participating in this program you acknowledge that undertaking any new health, diet and/or exercise regime involves certain inherent risks, that you assume such risks, and that you release Wells Performance Inc. from any responsibility or claim relating to such participation.