Discover how engaging in action sports can preserve brain function as you age. Learn about accessing new levels of intelligence and wisdom by overcoming past traumas. Explore the significance of challenging activities in maintaining peak performance in the second half of life.
Engaging in challenging activities helps preserve physical and mental skills as we age.
Overcoming past traumas and negative emotions unlocks new levels of intelligence, creativity, empathy, and wisdom in later life.
Maintaining expertise, cognitive reserves, and wisdom through lifelong learning is crucial for peak performance aging.
Deep dives
Challenging Traditional Aging Perceptions
The podcast challenges the conventional beliefs on aging by referencing the story of Antonio Stradivari, a famous violin maker who crafted two of his most renowned violins in his 90s. This narrative dispels the idea of inevitable mental and physical decline over time, emphasizing that these skills are 'use-it-or-lose-it.' The research indicates that by engaging in challenging, creative, and social activities, individuals can maintain and even advance their physical and mental abilities far into later stages of life.
Training Physical and Cognitive Skills for Peak Performance Aging
For peak performance aging, the focus is on training physical and cognitive skills from a young age. The key physical skills to train include strength, stamina, flexibility, agility, and balance, with recommended training durations provided. Additionally, cognitive skills should be actively engaged through lifelong learning and challenging activities. The podcast highlights the importance of maintaining expertise and wisdom for preserving brain function and achieving peak performance aging.
Mindset Shift Towards Active Aging
The discussion emphasizes the importance of a mindset shift towards active aging, focusing on challenging, creative, and social activities that demand dynamic play. By engaging in novel outdoor environments, individuals can enhance brain function, build cognitive reserves, and combat age-related cognitive decline. The podcast advocates for fostering a proactive approach to aging, leveraging newfound cognitive abilities after 50, such as relativistic, non-dualistic, and systematic thinking for enhanced intelligence, creativity, empathy, and wisdom.
Relevance to Business and Leadership
The insights on aging, cognitive development, and performance have direct implications for businesses and leadership. CEOs seek employees who possess high levels of intelligence, creativity, empathy, and wisdom to navigate the fast-paced changes in the business landscape. The value of customer-centered thinking, enhanced by empathetic and wise decision-making, is crucial for ensuring psychological safety and optimizing team performance. The podcast highlights the significance of training individuals to unlock new thinking styles and combat risk aversion for continued professional growth and success.
Insights on Aging and Retirement
Engaging in challenging, creative, and social activities, as well as maintaining physical activity like leg strength training, are crucial for successful aging and peak performance. According to the podcast, retirement should be avoided, and reinvention and continuous learning should be embraced instead. Older adults are advised to focus on developing expertise, wisdom, and cognitive reserve through lifelong learning to promote healthy longevity.
Unlocking Peak Performance with Flow States
Flow states, characterized by deep focus and heightened productivity, are accessible to everyone and offer a significant boost in motivation, creativity, and performance. Activities like reading, gardening, music, and outdoor sports can induce flow. To maximize productivity and creativity, individuals are encouraged to identify their primary flow activities and dedicate consistent time to them, reaping the benefits of increased motivation and emotional regulation for peak performance in life.
TODAY´S EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FLOW RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
Are you an entrepreneur, a leader, or a knowledge worker, who wants to harness the power of flow so you can get more done in less time with greater ease and accomplish your boldest professional goals faster? If you´ve answered this question with “hell yes” then our peak-performance training Zero to Dangerous may be a good fit for you. If this sounds of interest to you all you need to do is click the link below right now, pop in your application and one of our team members will be in touch with you very soon.https://www.flowresearchcollective.com/zero-to-dangerous/overview
ABOUT THE GUEST:
Steven Kotler is a world-famous expert on human performance and New York Times best-selling author. He is also the Executive Director of the Flow Research Collective.
In this episode, Steven discusses how peak performance aging starts young and the ways to keep physical and mental skills from declining over time. He also talks about how engaging in action sports and dynamic activities can help preserve brain function and promote peak performance.
Additionally, Steven shares that as we age, we gain access to whole new levels of intelligence, creativity, empathy, and wisdom by overcoming past traumas and negative emotions like anger and resentment.
ABOUT THE EPISODE:
In this episode, you will learn about:
00:00 - Intro
03:03 - The Inspiration to Study Peak Performance
05:35 - Preserving Your Use It or Lose It Skills
16:15 - Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks
24:28 - Getting Over Internal Traumas
31:20 - Biology Of The Brain
38:56 - The Three Types of Thinking
42:10 - Interview Questions for People in their Fifties
46:42 - Importance of Leg Strength
48:38 - Embracing Authentic Learning
53:44 - Skillset Difference Between The Young And Old
56:15 - Illustrating Flow through Hospice Work
1:02:21 - How to get into Flow
1:03:54 - Steven's Secret to Profiting in Life
RESOURCES
Steven Kotler
Website: https://www.stevenkotler.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-kotler-4305b110
Twitter: https://twitter.com/steven_kotler?lang=en
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kotler.steven/?hl=en
Flow Research Collective’s Social Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flowresearchcollective
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flowresearchcollective
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowresearchcollective
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@achieveflow
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RiseofSuperman
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thefrc_official
Website: https://www.flowresearchcollective.com/
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