3 Key (and Trainable) Skills for High Performance
According to High Performance Psychologist, Dr. Michael Gervais, we can only train three things: we can train our craft; we can train our body; we can train our mind, (Gervais, 2023). Why do so many disproportionately invest so much of their resources and their time training their craft (skills) and their body, while devoting such little time to their mind? I believe there are three reasons for this allocation of our time.
First, is our predisposition to a fixed mindset. The second reason is tied to our natural craving for tangible results. Third, is the fear of what others might think of us for devoting our time to training our ability to “think well.”
Carol Dweck (2007) popularized the term(s) growth and fixed mindsets. If we have a growth mindset, we believe we can continue to learn, grow, and change. As we experience the world, we find out more about ourselves, our interests, and the skills tied to our interests. People with a growth mindset view a setback on their path to success as an opportunity to reflect and learn how to overcome the obstacle by enhancing their skill set.
In contrast to a growth mindset, those with a fixed mindset tend to believe they have limited ability to improve, adapt, or change. Thus, they often lack self-efficacy when in the presence of obstacles they do not currently possess the skill set to overcome. People with a fixed mindset believe that, by a certain age, they are who they are and there is little to be done about it. Why would someone waste their time trying to change odds that are ‘insurmountable’?
Humans all have default temperaments and personalities. But recent research indicates we can develop our craft, our body, and our mind at any age. It’s a learnable and trainable skill!
We live in a microwave society. We have unprecedented access to the information, the food, and the entertainment we crave. We are inundated with social media posts of our colleagues touting their personal and professional accomplishments. Is it any wonder most of us focus predominantly on training our craft so we can show the world we are also worthy of admiration?
We all want results, and we wanted them yesterday. By investing our time in the training of our craft or our body, we are placing ourselves in a position for others to take notice. To validate our hard work. By investing in our mind, our ability to think well, we are truly investing in our ability to thrive in any environment. This isn’t a microwave approach. This is building the internal mechanisms to help sustain us when the drought hits or when the waves crash.
Dr. Michael Gervais authored a book called The First Rule of Mastery: Stop Worrying What Other People Think (2023). Dr. Gervais believes one of the single biggest inhibitors of human potential is the Fear of People’s Opinions (FOPO). How many decisions do we make over the course of our lives that are primarily dictated by our “perception” of what others might think? We often train our body, not because of the health benefits, but because we want to be noticed by others.
We train our craft, not necessarily because we want to attain mastery and help others, but because we want to be lauded for our accomplishments, the money, and the prestige those skills bring. The reality is all these accomplishments are fleeting. Our bodies will eventually break down. No matter how skilled you are at your craft, there is always someone better. This is the real danger of a heavily weighted performance-based identity. Who are you when you are not THE BEST or when your skills diminish with time? Many people struggle with this from an inner core standpoint because they didn’t invest equally in their mind.
It is a lot easier to learn how to swim when the waters are calm. If we want to be able to navigate the storms and the waves with optimism, we must invest in our ability to think well.
It is important to train all three of these skills with balance and intention throughout our lives. We want a healthy body that allows us to lead the lifestyle we choose. We should develop the skills pertinent to our craft to make a solid living and create purpose for ourselves and others. In this process, we must not neglect the development of the mind, the inner core.
Our ability to “think well.” If the inner core is weak, much like if our physical core is weak, we will be out of alignment and suffer from a variety of ailments related to our misalignment. If the three trainable skills (craft, body, and mind) are in balance, this a major accelerant of our growth at any age and a recipe for happiness.
Balanced training in these three skills will drive your development at all levels. Each trainable skill will feed off the other. This strategy is taking responsibility for your own happiness. You can only give to others what you possess. By investing in these skills, you will not only be happier, but you will be the one at the steering wheel. Driving you to your destination. To your purpose. If you are the leader of your organization, you will now have the ability to guide others on their path to purpose. Because you had the courage to travel your own path to purpose.
This journey never ends. Training these skills is a continuing process, an ‘infinite game’ (Sinek, 2019). But only by taking the maiden voyage yourself, can you serve as a guide for your team as they discover their path to purpose, their path to sustained happiness.
References
Dweck, C. (2007). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Ballantine Books.
Gervais, M. (2023). The first rule of mastery: Stop worrying about what people think of you. Harvard Business Review Press.
Sinek, S. (2029). The infinite game. Portfolio / Penguin.