Energy Is Our Most Important Asset
By: John Mashni
Tags: Self Improvement, Personal Growth, Coaching Corner, Health, Leadership

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.