Co-Author Dr. Larina Kase On Exercise:

Exercise and The Success Mindset

I went to a particularly challenging Pilates class tonight which got me thinking about exercise and success. I've been going to Pilates once-twice weekly for about six months now, and wow, is it tough.

But I'm actually starting to feel stronger (and less sore the next day), which is exciting. And equally important, I'm learning a lot about the psychology of peak performance in sport (which of course applies to all areas of life). I'm actually learning about how to coach and motivate people by the way the instructors teach the class.

I believe that with pain comes growth so as I was trying to hold the "plank" position (kind-of like a push-up pose with straight arms or leaning on your forearms), I thought about the lessons and growth messages I can take away. These lessons, I believe are true for any intense form of exercise where you push yourself right up to your physical limits.

The key to success is to recognize every tiny step towards getting there-- and then take more of them.

When we shape our attention to acknowledge our little steps, we feel more motivated and confident. And we know what's working so we can keep doing it. Use this psychology of success to attain a great athletic goal of yours.

Think about how you can find a physical activity to push yourself and develop your success mindset. It can be anything: running, Pilates, yoga, biking, mountain climbing, weight lifting… Just pick something that you enjoy and will get a real sense of accomplishment when you achieve more than you ever thought possible!

Thanks for reading!

Larina