ENDURE: July 25, 2014

RE2PECT? Earned, Not Given.....and Available to Everyone

Spoiler Summary: You don't have to be a Yankee fan....you don't even have to like sports.....because this is not a story about an athletic hero, it's bigger than that, it's a call to look around.

I didn't catch much of this year's Major League Baseball All-Star Game, but I did catch the hype leading up to it.  I saw posts about the Derek Jeter Nike-ad on Facebook prior to the game and read an article from the Washington Post (here) that reiterated-in-print a story that I, along with many, have been watching unfold for the last 20 years....and whether you believe it's only-a-story, too good to be true, or whether you believe it's only-a-story, hoisted by marketers looking to sell stuff, or whether you believe it's only-a-story that will be ruined by some bad-news that breaks in the future....it's a great story.

Maybe it's the optimist in me that wants to buy-in to the idea that great stories can have story-book endings.  Perhaps it's the student of human-achievement in me that wants to see this as proof-positive that individuals who stay true to principles and have the champion's will not only can succeed but do. Maybe it's something more subtle in the back of my brain that makes me believe that it's the real deal, that real achievement, the kind that not only includes impressive moments but is sustained over a career, does indeed deserve much respect.

Although the list of people who have mega-corporations doing something akin to Jeter's ad (famous people tipping their cap to for a career-well-done) is probably pretty short, the story of #2, a most public example of earned-respect is maybe not as uncommon as it is unrecognized. After stopping to look around, I realized Jeter's is definitely not the only story that deserves respect I've encountered.....not even the only one this week:  

• I sat in a meeting earlier in the week where two members were honored for 40 year milestones.....forty years of service - absolutely worthy of a tip of the cap.....and they're not done yet.  

• I got to talk with a group of folks who had made the jump from talking about getting healthy and taking on a challenge (last year) to doing it (last weekend).....not surprisingly, "what's next?" on their journey to the best version of themselves was a big part of the conversation.....and they were looking for ways to share the experience with others...I'll tip my hat to that!

• I heard a scripted, passionate statement made that "safety doesn't stop....that it's an always thing.....it's a critical thing that we can never lose sight of" made in a large meeting of leaders earlier in the week. Safety isn't this person's "job", it was a statement from the heart by a person who simply cares enough to "own it".....I'll tip my cap to that too.

• I got to chat briefly with someone in a leadership position who has quietly played a big role in supporting a culture of health in his workplace. Supporting a small event that merged health & workplace-community involvement a few years ago and helping it to blossom into something several times the size (now a source of local pride) has been very cool for my team, but could never be done without the quiet support of this leader.  I'll tip my cap to that.

• And five minutes ago I got an email from a member of the team who shared news of a pending retirement of someone who we've only known for a couple of years but have grown to strongly respect for his strong commitment to health, safety and prevention.  He doesn't wear a jersey....and I'm not sure he'd choose #2.....but he's earned a tip of the cap for sure.

Although we won't likely see them on primetime TV and we may miss them altogether, if we take a second now and again to look for them, we're surrounded by examples of people who deserve our respect for what they bring to "the game" each day.  They're not packing stadiums and they're not selling merchandise......and they're probably not making millions to do what they do.....rather, they're just rolling up their sleeves and putting in the work - day in and day out, steadily and consistently marching toward a list of lifetime achievements worthy of respect.

To those folks and the many who bring-it every day.....we tip our cap to you.

Have a great week,

Mike E.

MOVE: July 18, 2014

Motivation and the Thin Red Line

Spoiler Summary: Are you playing with a full deck?  How about a stacked deck? Think your choices are entirely yours in the moment you make them? Are you programmed to change course when you see red?  Well.....

Motivation is a tricky thing.  Why do we choose to do what we do and avoid the "other choice"?  Why do we skip the things we know we "should do" in favor of something less important? It's a critical question for everyone. Whether you deal (or even dabble) on the professional front in areas related to human behavior such as safety, well-being, prevention, performance, etc or whether you see it up close and personal as a parent, colleague or friend - we are all impacted by motivation and the choices it influences.

Workplace Health & Safety may be one of the more obvious domains impacted by choice.  If given two choices and we were to choose the "right one" more often or at least the "better one" most of the time, we'd clearly shift the odds toward the long-term outcome we want - staying healthy and safe every single day.  Although incredibly logical (and demonstrated many times over) it seems the science of influence and choice is a bit more nuanced than that.....and therefore a whole lot more sloppy to handle in the real-world.

One critical concept that (unfortunately) muddies the water, is that we are not wiping the slate clean each day - so every time we're faced with a choice we've made before, we are making a slightly more biased choice now.  Sort of like slowly stacking the deck before we "pick a card", the outcome of our choices becomes more predictable and reliable the more times we face the situation. The more reps, the more bias. Said another way: unless it is a truly brand-new experience, each choice is influenced by the outcome of the last choice we made in a similar situation.  We are learning machines - hard wired to get more efficient (and therefore expend less energy) based on past success or failure. The more we learn, the faster and more accurately we can predict the outcome of our choice all with less effort. In situations where we've figured out the formula and it's still working this is an enormous asset, one which appears to have helped us survive.  However in situations where the landscape has changed so significantly that the current formula no longer works (i.e. current health crisis among other "grand challenges" society faces), this same mechanism makes it very difficult for us to truly change.  Despite knowing that a new choice is needed to get a new outcome, we are still strongly drawn to the previous choice.   

The pull is so strong in fact that researchers working in the world of "Big Data" have been able to predict the choices (i.e. behaviors) of entire populations with mind-blowing accuracy. For example, researchers from MIT were able to predict whether a person would exercise (closely tied to the habits and influence of friends it turns out) as well as how sociable they would be on any given day (closely tied to their sleep the night before).....but that's not all. In another study they were able to show that the ease of connecting with others - literally how many barriers (physical, social, etc) we face in our effort to connect and communicate with colleagues - strongly predicts performance.  So imagine if these researchers wanted to know who the next "all-star" (in whatever group and realm) was going to be? If they knew who got bad-sleep AND who had a sedentary social-circle they could likely do so....not every time, but more often than not.  

Could you and I use the same information to predict (at the personal level) whether we were on track to meet our goals if we had similar information? It's an intriguing question.......but we can't say for sure....yet. However YOU can play along in helping us learn more. Next time you see one of the members of the Pro-Activity team, be sure to ask them if they are "tracking" and if so, be sure to get a glimpse of their wrist.....check the sensor they're wearing and see if it's clear or if it's showing the "red-line of shame" (indicating they've been sedentary for an hour or more)......ask them if in addition to hitting the six-hour minimum, if their sleep has been restful lately.  They'll probably hate me for suggesting this....and more than likely I'll be the one caught with the red line of shame for doing so (we can get into the psychology of "red" another time).....whether we like it or not, at the personal and population level, the data is the data.....and it shows that motivation does not simply come down to choice....it's a social game, so figuring out how to get around the barriers and actively join in is the new formula for success.  Health, Safety, Prevention and Well-being are just too important to all of us for any one of us to have the deck stacked against us.

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.

MOVE: July 11, 2014

Motivation and the Thin Red Line

Spoiler Summary: Are you playing with a full deck?  How about a stacked deck? Think your choices are entirely yours in the moment you make them? Are you programmed to change course when you see red?  Well.....

Motivation is a tricky thing.  Why do we choose to do what we do and avoid the "other choice"?  Why do we skip the things we know we "should do" in favor of something less important? It's a critical question for everyone. Whether you deal (or even dabble) on the professional front in areas related to human behavior such as safety, well-being, prevention, performance, etc or whether you see it up close and personal as a parent, colleague or friend - we are all impacted by motivation and the choices it influences.

Workplace Health & Safety may be one of the more obvious domains impacted by choice.  If given two choices and we were to choose the "right one" more often or at least the "better one" most of the time, we'd clearly shift the odds toward the long-term outcome we want - staying healthy and safe every single day.  Although incredibly logical (and demonstrated many times over) it seems the science of influence and choice is a bit more nuanced than that.....and therefore a whole lot more sloppy to handle in the real-world.

One critical concept that (unfortunately) muddies the water, is that we are not wiping the slate clean each day - so every time we're faced with a choice we've made before, we are making a slightly more biased choice now.  Sort of like slowly stacking the deck before we "pick a card", the outcome of our choices becomes more predictable and reliable the more times we face the situation. The more reps, the more bias. Said another way: unless it is a truly brand-new experience, each choice is influenced by the outcome of the last choice we made in a similar situation.  We are learning machines - hard wired to get more efficient (and therefore expend less energy) based on past success or failure. The more we learn, the faster and more accurately we can predict the outcome of our choice all with less effort. In situations where we've figured out the formula and it's still working this is an enormous asset, one which appears to have helped us survive.  However in situations where the landscape has changed so significantly that the current formula no longer works (i.e. current health crisis among other "grand challenges" society faces), this same mechanism makes it very difficult for us to truly change.  Despite knowing that a new choice is needed to get a new outcome, we are still strongly drawn to the previous choice.   

The pull is so strong in fact that researchers working in the world of "Big Data" have been able to predict the choices (i.e. behaviors) of entire populations with mind-blowing accuracy.  For example, researchers from MIT were able to predict whether a person would exercise (closely tied to the habits and influence of friends it turns out) as well as how sociable they would be on any given day (closely tied to their sleep the night before).....but that's not all.  In another study they were able to show that the ease of connecting with others - literally how many barriers (physical, social, etc) we face in our effort to connect and communicate with colleagues - strongly predicts performance.  So imagine if these researchers wanted to know who the next "all-star" (in whatever group and realm) was going to be? If they knew who got bad-sleep AND who had a sedentary social-circle they could likely do so....not every time, but more often than not.  

Could you and I use the same information to predict (at the personal level) whether we were on track to meet our goals if we had similar information? It's an intriguing question.......but we can't say for sure....yet. However YOU can play along in helping us learn more. Next time you see one of the members of the Pro-Activity team, be sure to ask them if they are "tracking" and if so, be sure to get a glimpse of their wrist.....check the sensor they're wearing and see if it's clear or if it's showing the "red-line of shame" (indicating they've been sedentary for an hour or more)......ask them if in addition to hitting the six-hour minimum, if their sleep has been restful lately.  They'll probably hate me for suggesting this....and more than likely I'll be the one caught with the red line of shame for doing so (we can get into the psychology of "red" another time).....whether we like it or not, at the personal and population level, the data is the data.....and it shows that motivation does not simply come down to choice....it's a social game, so figuring out how to get around the barriers and actively join in is the new formula for success.  Health, Safety, Prevention and Well-being are just too important to all of us for any one of us to have the deck stacked against us.

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.

MOVE: July 3, 2014

Planning for the Future.....a Long, Healthy, Future

Spoiler Summary: Maybe it's not so complicated - It starts with a solid plan, based on evidence.....and then? We execute the plan.

We might have personal tax plans authored by tax planners so we ONLY pay our fair share.  We might have personal financial plans authored by financial planners to make sure we'll have enough money put aside for the future.  It's often recommended that we have estate plans authored by estate planners since "we can't take it with us."  But how many of us really have a health plan?  Now I'm not talking about a health plan in the sense of health insurance.....I'm talking about a written document, a plan, authored by a qualified professional that details how we will stay healthy past the tax years, long enough to spend some of those savings and with enough strength to leave a wealth of amazing memories as a big part of our estate?  Well, we should.....and if you don't have one, maybe it's time.

OK, this is not new.  My team has been talking about this for a while, but this week, after hearing a few stories that were played during the ever shrinking news-cycle, I'm convinced NOW is the time for most.

First - there was THIS STORY from the Washington Post which said that fewer than 15% of doctor's visits include a discussion related to nutrition and exercise (two of the most widely accepted pillars of future health). At first, I thought "why not?".  But after reading the article it seemed totally reasonable when considered along with the fact that less than 25% of doctors surveyed felt they had adequate training for such discussions.  It's definitely not ideal (or wise perhaps) to have conversations about something that you're not adequately trained on......but it does leave a void.

Then - there was the very strange twist on an economic report that came out this week about the first quarter.  As it turns out, the first quarter of 2014 was a lot less rosy than expected. However, it wasn't because of poor productivity or less opportunity.  It was in large part because of lowered healthcare spending.  To me, this sounded like a very good thing - the less we spend on the burden of disease the more we have for other things that can improve our quality of life right?  The strange twist (at least to me) was that not everyone shared the sentiment.  Some analysts seemed genuinely down about it. Bizarre, I thought.

Last - the "brighter" news was that the single biggest age group coming into the workforce was 23 year- olds.....this is bright news, however it was only bright in relation to health because this group appears to embrace health more fully than the generation before them and would be in a position to carry some of the burden of the less healthy group that preceded them (ie all of us).

The only real conclusion I could come up with was - these are strange times when it comes to health (which also applies to prevention and safety). We all know we want to be healthy and the evidence clearly shows that it's doable......but sickness is a real economic engine......a good portion of the experts who make up the foundation of our medical system don't feel prepared to make the jump from sickness-management to health.....and the "brighter" news is not one of fixing the problem but simply hanging on long enough to age out of it.....yikes.

Maybe I'm an optimist.  Maybe I'm a fool. It wouldn't be the first time I've been called either.....probably not even the first time today.....but we CAN do better, and there is absolutely no reason to wait.  We can each have a plan, with realistic milestones and real progress toward a better end-goal.  We will all have times when we go off course and it won't go exactly as planned.....but poor health, low quality of life and dumping money into sickness are not the only option for the future; less money spent on treating illness is a very very good thing; and it doesn't matter whether you're 9 or 92, it's never too early and it's NEVER EVER too late to start.

Oh.....and I know a few folks who are supremely confident discussing nutrition and exercise.....we're ready when you are.

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.

ENDURE: June 27, 2014

The Turn-Around...Looking Forward to See What's Behind You

Spoiler Summary: The transition is not all the way done, but we can't stop moving now - the turn-around is right in front of us.

It's probably because it's racing season.  Of course it could be because this year's "big race" (Ironman Lake Placid) is lurking only a few weeks away.  Then again, maybe it's because I'm wrapping up the "build" part of my training, which just happens to be the most grueling, very soon.  Or perhaps it's because Human Achievement is far more often a marathon than a sprint.....but now more than ever, I'm seeing Element #4 everywhere.

Numbers 1 through 3 are undoubtedly the foundation.  We could talk all day (and sometimes we do) about MOVE, FUEL and RECOVER and why without the proper dosage of each you couldn't possibly achieve; and there is absolutely NO discounting the importance of element number 5 - a lack of CONNECT (aka loneliness) can have a massive impact on health.  One University of Chicago Psychologist for example found that loneliness carried with it TWICE the risk of obesity on premature death in our later years; but lately, for me, it's been all ENDURE all the time.

In triathlon, course directors have a funny way of using a section of "out and back" on the run section.  It probably started as a way to get the extra ".2" needed to make the course a legit marathon (26.2), but it has become a tradition in the sport, the ultimate checkpoint where you can size up your competition for a brief moment as you run toward each other.  Runner #1 turns at the cone and heads back into town, runner #2 has not yet reached the cone and they are running toward each other.  It's not uncommon for each racer to glance at their watch so they can see exactly how far ahead (or behind depending) they are. Both try to put their game-face on and not look overly tired or sapped of energy.  The first puts off their best version of "you're not going to catch me today" and the second responds with "I've got a bunch left in the tank and I'm coming for you".  At that moment, it's about mind winning over body; about a conscious effort to ENDURE whatever is going on at the moment and find a little more.

And so we're there.  It's the end of June, we've reached the turning cone and are getting ready to head back toward the finish (of 2014) AND the start (2015).  6 mos in the rearview with a few of the moments and challenges right on our heels putting on their game face......and 6 mos ahead, telling us we're 1/2 way there to the finish line.....and the amazing sense of achievement that comes from executing a great race and holding off the competitors behind us.

It hasn't been a perfect year.  Many of us had to get over, around and through one of the most difficult winter seasons in a very long time. Several didn't get off to the start they had hoped on the safety, health, prevention or well-being fronts.....but it didn't stop and neither did we.  Now we're feeling the heat.....and juggling the summer.  Soon enough we'll be wondering what the hurricane season will look like and if we'll be lucky enough to be spared.  No matter, because the formula doesn't change:

MOVE enough, FUEL the right way, RECOVER fully and we can ENDURE......Hold your head up and put on your game face, you've made the turn and are heading toward the finish.....the final six months won't be easy, it never is, but it will be doable.....and there's always a great party at the finish line.....with plenty of folks ready to CONNECT.

Now go do something extraordinary,

Mike Eisenhart, PT

Managing Partner Pro-Activity

ENDURE: June 20, 2014

If You Can Dodge a Wrench, You Can Master Transition....

Spoiler Summary: It's that time of year again, a wrench in the works and a big challenge on the body.  Even if you're just an average-Joe (or Jane) if you know where you're at and you pay attention to the cues, you can dodge any trouble.

I was talking to someone earlier in the week who, while telling a story that included driving, referenced the "clutch".  It's been a while since I drove a car with a clutch.  I can remember getting my first car and how my Dad was pretty keen on me getting one with a manual transmission so I could learn to drive one.  I can remember getting the feel for it, sometimes chugging when I let it out a little fast and other times revving the engine as I gave it too much gas before it engaged.  It was a proud moment when I got confident enough to smoothly take off from a hilly perch without rolling backward into whatever dared sit behind me....and then of course there was the occasional grinding-gears sound that made anyone who had ever driven "stick" groan in pain.

The more I thought about it, the less I could decide which metaphor was more appropriate for this, the early part of the summer.  The dodge-ball movie reference in the title and spoiler summary are very close to what we're going through physiologically this time of year.....and since there can never be enough references to stupid movies it was a natural fit.  On the other hand, the clutch analogy (or the body's lack of a clutch while changing gears) works well too....so to really keep you on your toes, I went with both.

During the early summer the environment is throwing wrenches.  One day it's 85 or 90 degrees and the next it's rainy and 70.  From a physiological standpoint this is a real challenge for the body.....as we transition from our internal "spring setting" to our "summer setting".  The problem is, we can just press the clutch and switch gears....it's just not how we're built.  We need 10-14 days to slowly and steadily ramp up to the demands of the heat; even the more health conscious folks who have put a better than average defense in place by  their cardiovascular system tuned up.  

As hot and humid days become the norm, our circulatory system gets a little more efficient to handle the new demand. We get better at getting blood to the surface to let heat off, our thirst drives us to increase hydration levels some to account for more rapid fluid loss and the plasma levels in our blood increase.  By the 8th day our sweat rate has increased some and we start to perspire earlier which drives down our central temperature some.

This "transition" is a very important time to take precautions and listen to what the body is telling us because it taxes our resources temporarily. Feeling a little run-down or irritable or extra fatigued is a common sign that the body is using extra energy and hasn't yet achieved the improved efficiency.  Of course this isn't meant as an excuse to be a grump for the next 2 weeks, but should you find yourself unexpectedly in that state, it might be your body telling you something.

The good news is, like most things, if you give the body what it needs, it will respond with a favorable result.  So what does it need during transition?  Usually (in no particular order) - a little more water, a little more rest, fresh-wholesome meals and not only knowing your limits, but the will to pull back before you cross them.  Do that, and you'll be ready to take the infamous "100 days of summer" in stride.

Even without a clutch, there's no need to grind your gears this time of year.....with some knowledge and effort you can be aware of flying wrenches and successfully dodge.

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.