Issue #239: The Power of Visualization
Good morning. It’s Thursday, September 14th.
Today’s Quick Win
From the Lab: How to Make the Future a Reality
Speed Read: 2024 Health Insurance Rate Hike
Thursday Night In: Sesame Chicken Cabbage Crunch Salad
“Nothing exists in our world that does not first exist in our mind.”
Increased lifespan of optimists vs pessimists, based on a study by the National Academy of Sciences. (Source)
For more on how optimism supports our longevity check out Issue #167.
From the Lab
I’m definitely no professional athlete - but I subscribe to the same visualization techniques that have led to many gold medals and national championships.
My runs typically start with me assessing how I’m feeling physically - are my legs light or heavy, am I feeling tired or energetic? Then as I start moving my focus shifts to my mind. I start thinking about work or issues I’ve got to solve or deadlines I’ve got to hit.
Then unconsciously my thoughts start to move into the future - I envision a world where Thrive25 is 10x the size it is today. The tens of thousands of people in our community, the dozens of team members, the many products we offer.
I can actually see the office, interact with someone on the team, feel the success.
Then I come back to some heavy breathing and realize I’ve only got a couple of miles to go on my run.
Visualization is a powerful tool to help us grow and achieve the future we want - but maybe not for the reasons we think.
One of my all-time favorite books is “Mindset” by Dr. Carol Dweck.
She talks about the importance of a growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset - and the fact that we all can adopt a growth mindset to better control and manage our lives.
Some argue that visualization creates unfounded fantasy that we can simply dream up our future and it will happen.
I hardly believe that simply thinking these fleeting thoughts during my runs are going to be what makes Thrive25 a success.
Instead, visualization is actually a tool that can help you get into a growth mindset.
Here’s why:
It Builds Confidence - the visualization helps us tap into what Dr. Dweck calls “learning to believe in our own potential.” To achieve anything we have to believe it’s possible.
There’s a theory that the next great men’s tennis stars won’t be any of the current players over say 25 or 26 years old. Why? They spent the first 5+ years of their careers getting pummeled by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. These 3 players won 66 of the past 81 major championships since 2003. That’s crazy!!
It might be one reason why it’s a 20-yr old, Carlos Alcaraz, who looks like he might be the next generational player - he’s not jaded. He truly believes he can win.
It Brings Optimism - fear of failure is one of the biggest roadblocks to future success.
When we see, hear, feel what the future might look like, we become more positive/optimistic. This in turn makes us more creative and we think differently about how to make that future actually happen.
It Creates a Blueprint - there are two types of visualization: Outcome and Process. Most successful athletes focus on the latter. It’s about picturing the work and the practice required (the process) in order to achieve the desired outcome.
That’s why I subscribe to visualization - it’s not “wishful thinking.” It’s actually realizing in even more detail the effort that will have to go into a goal or aspiration.
For me - this shows up in thinking about our content strategy, our product development, our recruiting programs. It actually makes it more clear what I need to do from a very tactical perspective.
I become so freaking motivated after one of these runs - there’s no thought of “gotta to get to work now” - it’s hurry up and shower because now I GET to go to work and make that future become reality.
Thrive25 Partner Spotlight
Check out breathing.ai - a free browser extension that reminds you to take breaks, personalizes the color of your screen, and offers relaxing music to help you stay focused.
Not only does each break help with breathing or relaxation, it enables me to stack other habits on top - drink water, stand, practice visualization, etc. - don't sit and work all day without taking care of yourself!
IT’S FREE! Download now and feel the difference!
Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
Healthcare Costs Set to Jump in 2024: Are you ready to pay 6.4% more for health insurance next year? Neither are we. Cost increases are attributed to the lagging effect of inflation on premiums as well as the increased utilization of weight loss drugs like Ozempic - which a few benefit from, but we all pay for. (WSJ)
Why Wild Bees?: Max’s mother-in-law was stung by 10 honeybees last week - it was quite the ordeal - there’s plenty of those, especially in Chicago this year. But wild bees 🤷♂️, now that’s a different story. 33% of wild bee species are on decline, and that’s not good for our food supply - 75% of the world’s crops, including many superfoods, are dependent on wild bees. (Knowable)
The Menopause Retreat: Are you a female looking to escape from the stress of healthcare costs or peril of bees? Then a menopause retreat may be the best medicine. Spas and resorts offer a wide range of services, but the most important activity may be bonding with other women facing the same issues. Check out 10+ retreat locations. (NYTimes)
Thursday Night In | Sesame Chicken Cabbage Crunch Salad
This delectable dish features crisp, vibrant vegetables, succulent chicken, and a mouthwatering sesame ginger dressing. It’s nutrient-packed with a rainbow of crunchy veggies and bursting with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for a healthy boost, and the sesame ginger dressing adds a zesty kick. This meal is a balance of taste and wellness!
Pro Tip: marinade the chicken overnight
Thanks for joining us today!
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Why Thrive25
We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
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To health!
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25, Inc. does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.