Healthy living looks similar across nearly all ages and stages of life. While following centenarians’ advice can be wise, so too can adopting the habits of a demographic with far less life experience: infants. Here are a few simple ways you can act like a baby in order to help bring you closer to living your own best potential — in athletics and in life.
[See: 10 Fun Kid Activities for Adult Bodies and Minds.]
1. Remain passionately in the moment.
Notice how attentive a baby is while looking at something. This level of focus has certain features: wide open eyes, a fixed gaze, steady breathing and curiosity spilling out of the ears. As we get older, it becomes more difficult to do things with that level of engagement and total absorption in the moment; however, there is value in relearning the art of paying attention.
When we choose to shift our attention onto the content of the task, whether that be a class, practice or a workout, that task feels more doable; the challenge more easily surmountable. As former New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin philosophized to his team last season, “Be where your feet are.” He went on to explain what exactly that means: “If you’re going to be in the gym, be in the gym. Be where your feet are. Stay in the moment. Take care of one moment at a time.” Our best potential won’t be lived without really “being” wherever you are.
2. Practice purposefully.
Babies practice skills with purpose. They never just go through the motions; there is intention behind even the simplest acts. When a baby walks, for instance, her purpose is to explore her surroundings, to learn her territory or maybe simply to get better at walking. Her energies are devoted to walking.
While adults no longer have to bring full attention and purpose to their gait, many of our daily activities — think sports practice, a phone conversations with a relative or a dinner date with a partner — require purposefulness. It’s tempting to go through the motions with a “let me just get this over with” attitude, since that approach is easier on the mind. But if you enter your next workout with a clearly-defined purpose — say, to improve your squat technique, add two extra pullups to your interval training program or try out a new version of pushups you learned from a coworker — you will reap the benefits. For instance, you’ll experience heightened and more directed focus, greater enjoyment mid-workout, more perseverance and a higher-quality session compared to not having a focus or purpose at all.
[See: 12 Psychological Tricks to Get You Through a Workout or a Race.]
3. Accept imperfection.
Consider how frequently babies falter, fall and fail while learning to walk. It’s beautiful to watch their absence of self-esteem concerns, which is why they don’t get upset for very long. Sure, tears may flow, but only ephemerally. They will always pick themselves up and try once more. We adults would all still be on our hands and knees had we given up after our first failed attempt at walking.
Athletic excellence requires getting rid of the immediate (and perhaps seemingly reflexive) display of anger after a mistake. Remember: Mistakes are guaranteed, especially when shooting for the stars. It’s the amateur athlete who generally tends to view mistakes as detrimental, problematic and anxiety-provoking. The elite athletes truly seem to latch on to a missed point or a poor shot as an opportunity to learn something, and to grow a little bit. This fact isn’t only designated for motivational posters; professionals really do use failure as a stepping stone to success.
Our brains are even wired to appreciate errors. Recent research tells us that the brain remembers past errors when performing a task like hitting a forehand in tennis. This means that athletes improve on motor tasks not only by memorizing how to perform it correctly, but also through the experience of making mistakes. Without our conscious awareness, the brain recognizes previous errors, learns something from it and assists the body in performing the task correctly upon revisiting it. Errors, evidently, are needed for learning.
Equipped with this knowledge, athletes begin to do something game-changing: They embrace challenges. They actively seek out challenging, arduous tasks such as difficult fitness regimens, tough training stations and intimidating opponents as a means of growth and learning. They know that challenges force us to stretch, reach, put forth more effort and display determination — all of which ultimately lead to improved performance.
[See: 8 Signs You Are Made to Be an Athlete.]
Paying attention, being purposeful in our actions and reacting differently to imperfection is an art form that improves with practice. It also allows us to maximize whatever task is at hand. To move forward, look backward — and act like a baby.
More from U.S. News
Mantras That Get 11 Diet and Fitness Pros Through Their Toughest Moments
The 10 Best Exercises You Can Do for the Rest of Your Life
Easy Ways to Get 10,000 Steps Per Day
3 Ways Acting Like a Baby Can Improve Your Athletic Performance originally appeared on usnews.com
