Are you a morning exerciser or evening exerciser? In The Resilience Advantage I point out that, in many situations, people who exercise in the morning do so to get an extra burst of energy going for their day while folks who exercise in the evening often do so to blow off steam after a stressful day. Regardless of when you exercise, it is always good for you physically and for building your resilience.
In a recent article in New York Magazine, author Brad Stulberg cites research conducted in the UK showing how professional cyclists performed better than recreational cyclists in tests related to demonstrating an ability to use heightened “will power” to successfully manage the stress of a situation.
It seems that professional cyclists who, by the nature of their work, challenge themselves to face intense physical and mental pressure (they keep riding those hills even when their body is screaming “STOP”) are better able to quiet that message and to demonstrate endurance in the face of mental and physical fatigue.
While most of us are not professional athletes, we all can relate to times when we’ve been fit and have challenged ourselves to endure past a point that we did not think we could achieve. Building your physical strength creates your mental toughness.
© Richard Citrin, All rights reserved, 2016
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