Energy Is Our Most Important Asset
How to Have Insane Energy Every Single Day
Photo by Jenna Anderson on Unsplash
“I just don’t have the energy to do it all over again.”
I couldn’t hear the next few words because my thoughts stopped after I heard that statement.
I was talking with a friend and we were discussing next steps in our careers. This man is talented, smart, and has guts. But he felt limited by one thing — his energy.
We need energy to do everything. And energy can make up for a lack of nearly everything else: time, resources, and even skills.
Life is short. We only get so many chances. When our time comes, we need to be ready. We need to have the energy to take advantage of each opportunity.
The bigger the goal, the more energy that we need. And I’ve learned that energy management is a skill.
Energy is essential for me. Here’s some of what’s going on:
Married
Four young kids under 10 years old
Very busy law practice
Teach advanced courses at a law school
Coaching and mentoring
Produce movies
Write
Active in community
And more…
I need energy to do all of this stuff! My goal is to share what I have learned over the years.
I recently reached out to my friend Matt Johnson, who wrote a book called Capacity, to get his thoughts on energy management. Matt speaks to large organizations around the world and coaches individuals and organizations on health, nutrition, and energy management.
I will start with Matt’s advice, and then share what I’ve learned.
. . .
Matt’s Advice
“Most people think their time is their most precious commodity. Time is important, but ENERGY is your most precious commodity!”
— Matt Johnson
In Matt’s book, Capacity, he asked us to think back to when we had a bunch of time and no energy. It’s hard to enjoy anything without energy. But what if you were to have insane energy and limited time? Great things would be possible.
So how do you get energy? Biologically, human energy comes from one thing: food (or calories). The key is to understand that the food (or fuel) that you put into your body will give you the energy you need.
Here are Matt’s simple and easy recommendations for increased energy every day.
Water. Drink one-half of your body weight (in lbs) in ounces of water.
Upgrade your food. Eat for quality over quantity.
Superfoods. Regularly eat superfoods, including foods high in Omega-3s and greens.
Follow the 3-hour rule. Eat something every three hours to help stabilize energy throughout the day.
Movement. Move often throughout the day. Movement washes and resets the brain.
Rest. Take micro-breaks throughout the day. Take a break every 90 minutes from everything — including your phone — and detach.
There is obviously more that you can do, but the above list is where Matt starts with his clients.
“My take on energy is that it is the one thing we can’t track, but is the most valuable asset we have. Most people don’t know what their true energy potential is until they have been there.”
— Matt Johnson
. . .
What’s Working For Me
Doing the following things has helped me have enough energy, every day. Try some of these out and see if they work for you.
Drink More Water
I agree with Matt. Drink more water, less of everything else. My wife is the model of this one. She believes drinking more water solves every health problem. She believes she doesn’t get headaches because she drinks so much water. I think she’s right, but don’t tell her I said that.
Eat Less
I will not tell people exactly what to eat, but I will say this: I used to eat too much — and then get tired after the meal. Every time I tracked my calories and what I ate, I discovered that I always ate way more than what my body needed. For me, I had to eat less. My hunger was deceiving me. I think of kids who eat just the right amount and then immediately go run and play. They don’t need an hour to recover from the meal. They fuel up, and then go, with more than enough energy.
Less Refined Sugar
I can feel great, eat some sugar, and then within minutes feel drained. Often, people bring in donuts or cookies for someone’s birthday at my office. If I eat one in the morning, I immediately feel my energy drain. Even though it tastes good, I become less productive.
Rest and Recovery
I have found that knowing when to rest, for me, is more important that the exact amount of sleep that I get. I have recognized that when I need rest, I can become unfocused, and sometimes even anxious or depressed. I used to doubt myself in those moments because I would become less effective. I started to suspect that something was wrong. But what I learned is this: there’s nothing structurally wrong with me — I just need some good sleep. Sometimes there is a reason to have anxiety, and other times we just need some rest and recovery.
. . .
Fuel That Is Not Food
Having enough energy does not mean that we just need to eat enough calories, however. There are also mental, psychological, and spiritual aspects to having enough energy.
Reflection
Having time to reflect is a great way to make sure our energy levels stay high. Reflection allows us to empty our minds from all of the urgencies and emergencies that so easily fill it. Many people do this by writing in a journal, going for walks or even runs, or by taking time for themselves. For me, I write in a journal in the morning and at night.
Purpose and Passion
“Light yourself on fire with passion and people will come to watch you burn.”
— John Wesley
When a purpose burns deep within us, we can do the impossible. Often, a purpose can drive us farther than nearly any other motivation. A person with a purpose can outlast any group of people with just an interest.
More Seabiscuit
Sometimes it is not about having physical energy, but about having the right motivation. In the movie Seabiscuit, the horse needed to look another horse in the eye before starting to accelerate. Seabiscuit needed to be passed before being energized and before being able to pass everyone else. Sometimes we need the same thing. Our energy level and motivation can massively increase when we witness someone “pass” or “catch up to” us, especially someone whom we think should not be ahead of us. Sometimes we need to feel the pain of being behind to wake up and push forward. The motivation — and energy — that comes from feeling behind can propel us more than almost anything else.
Prove Something
“The basic difference between a warrior and an ordinary man is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge, while an ordinary man takes everything as either a blessing or a curse.”
— Don Juan, in the Tales of Power, by Carlos Castaneda
Life drains some people. It drives others to prove something. One of the best ways to have instant energy is to feel the urge to prove that you are right, that you are not wrong, that you have good ideas, and that you have worth. Anytime I feel like I have to prove something, I am energized.
Cash
I was just speaking with a friend of mine. It was painful, because he was depressed. He was figuring out what to do, and he asked for my advice. He was broke. He had no savings. He sounded defeated. He was a man drained of all energy because his financial predicament had invaded every area of his life. For me, I am energized when I have a certain amount of money sitting in a bank account. This allows me to ignore the day-to-day bumps that come up — whether it is an unexpected expense or an urgent need. If I know that I will be okay financially, then I can maintain a high level of energy. And if I know that I have a security blanket of funds, then I am not distracted by low-hanging fruit. Without some level of security, anxiety can drain our energy. Having our finances in order allows us to maintain positive energy.
Avoid Certain People
Have you ever asked someone how they are doing and then wished they hadn’t told you the truth? Just being around certain people can energize us, and being around others can completely drain us. Insane energy only happens when we avoid the people who steal our energy.
Hope
Hope is the most powerful source of energy that I have ever found. Every relationship requires hope to grow. And with hope, you can have almost unlimited energy. But as soon as there is no hope, nearly all energy disappears. In my relationship with my wife, I make sure that we always have something to look forward to: a trip, a date, something fun that we are doing together. And as soon as we are getting close to whatever that event is, I try to plan the next thing to look forward to. There is no substitute for hope in relationships — hope that life can get better. The same is true for anything else. Why do you need energy if life can’t get any better? You don’t. The more hope you have, the more energy you can and will have. Having hope is a requirement for having insane energy.
. . .
The Secret of Winning
“Success is almost dependent on drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning.”
— Denis Waitley
My friend Matt Johnson is exactly right: energy is our most important asset. Imagine having a full day, with the opportunity to do exactly what we want to do, but not having the energy to do it. I never want to live that day. But with enough energy, we can move forward, persist, and achieve.
. . .
Learn the one lesson that has changed my life more than any other.