The Success U definition of success is simple: A process of goal achievement that raises our emotional and physical well-being as we avoid the crippling cycle of burn-out.

Simple to define and complex to implement.

And to add to this complexity . . . this past week we discussed the very touchy subject of physical well-being.

Here is the assertion I made to the class:  If you want to experience substantial emotional well-being you must experience substantial physical well-being, and if you want to experience substantial physical well-being you must experience substantial emotional well-being.

Piece of cake . . . right?

Wrong!

But just because something is complex does not make it inexplicable.

So first we discussed how our thoughts about health influence our actions related to our body, sleep, attention, nutrition,  and exercise.  It spells out B-SANE, and we could all use a healthy dose of sanity when thinking about our physiology

(Note: To my former students and clients I am talking about SSEAS and/or BASES here, same concept, just a new, more effective acronym.)

Scientists call this thought to action interaction a feedback loop.

Here is how the negative version of the feedback loop works.  Let’s say that I think I am a “terrible” eater.  After I eat a delish sugary snack, it is likely I will follow it up with an emotional wrestling match, where I am the only one who loses.  This internal struggle creates radical thinking and therefore advocates for drastic solutions.

The outcome?  I would most likely live in the extreme of hedonistic indulgence on the one hand and the extreme of guilt-ridden calorie deprivation on the other.  And I used to engage in this confounding cycle throughout my college and graduate school years.

And extremes never enhance our well-being.  Never!

But even if we do not live in a dangerous all or nothing binary bizarro world, as humans we stink at making specific sacrifices in the present for some nebulous “healthly” benefit in the far off future.

And I do not believe we incur understanding by summarily declaring ours a “lazy culture”.  I would argue we are probably no more or no less motivated than are forebears who seemed fitter.  They just had jobs that required more physical effort and wallets that could not afford all the amazing treats we enjoy in the 21^st century.

So instead of seeing health as a future benefit (i.e. a longer life or six-pack abs), Success U teaches us how to make it a benefit right now . . . today in fact.

So come on, B-SANE your way to physical well-being, well-being that allows us to achieve without burn-out and drama.  It also removes all the pointless judging, all the “do it my way or else” pontificating, and instead acknowledges that each of us has the ability to implement tactics that make our success strategy much more likely.

But only you can make that happen, one small step at a time.  I look forward to learning how Success U students leverage their knowledge and self-understanding of physiology in their ongoing efforts to achieve all of their goals.

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If you have any questions about coaching please feel free to contact me at scott@kineticcoaching.co, and remember I always offer a complimentary 30-45 minute session to prospective clients to determine if we want to work together.