How to Program the Brain for Sustainable Success


I love my daily dose of exercise.  Most high-performers do because they look at it like a performance-enhancing habit. Being a competitive athlete for most of my life, I trained my brain to expect daily movement and loads of sweat.  There is no habit better in my books than one that automatically drives you to engage in a routine that supports your health mentally, emotionally and physically.

It is no different than any other performance-enhancing strategy you are trying to build; short-term pain equals long-term gain.  We’ve all heard that saying before.  We all know that real results require real hard work and whether you’re in the weight room or the boardroom that means many repetitions of the same patterns of behavior. 

Why is it then that so many of us have such difficulty trying to establish habits that support our long-term goals?  It quite simply comes down to this-our brain’s lack the motivation to change.

I call it leverage.  We don’t get out of bed in the morning unless we have a pretty compelling reason to do so.  That’s the trick.  Our brain will always migrate away from pain and towards pleasure.  That is how our brains condition these bad habits in the first place-we associated too much pain to not doing the current autopilot behavior and too much pleasure to engaging in it.

Our brains are meant to keep us safe and alive-that’s why we have a brain. It guides our decision-making, most of which is completely autopilot (95-97% each day).  We condition the autopilot choices through constant and continuous conscious effort and reinforcement.  And since the brain is meant to keep us safe and alive, it doesn’t like to have to undo all of its hard work and effort by having to change the automatic decision-making process-thus, its resistance to changing habitual patterns of behavior.

So how do we motivate the brain to want to exert the mental energy and effort required to break a bad habit and create a more self-supportive one in its place?

We must create new leverage.

Leverage is motivation and you need motivation to stay high in order to achieve any long-term goals (making more money, getting to the next level in your career, creating higher quality relationships).  To keep motivation high enough to sustain the effort required to create lasting change in your autopilot decision-making (an absolute must when wanting different results in any area of your life), you must tip the motivational scales in your favor.  You must associate more pain to staying the same and more pleasure to creating the change.

Motivation is like the caffeine switch in the brain. When it is activated it engages your nervous system in a way that propels and supports you towards your goals.  If conditioning new habits is the goal, try the following top-notch performance-enhancing strategy to do so:

·         First identify the long-term goal clearly using as much specific and descriptive information as you possibly can (clearly define the new result you crave).
·         What new habits must you establish to support you achieving that new result (in other words, state clearly the new habit you are trying to condition)?
·         Ask yourself what the pain of staying the same is (no change in current results)? 
·         Next, connect with as many benefits as possible to achieving the long-term change you crave.
·         When in the moment of choice between old habit and new habit, practice connecting with your new leverage.
·         Practice associating your brain with the pain of engaging in the old habit and the pleasure of engaging in the new habit every time you are faced with the decision to act in congruence with your long-term outcome.  Science says it will take 30-50 repetitions of this exercise to successfully reprogram that pattern into a habit.

Sure it is tough to break bad habits and establish new ones but trust me, it is well worth it.  Remember the statistic that states 95-97% of your daily choices are made on autopilot-your habits are a huge factor contributing to your current level of personal and professional success.  If it’s good enough for athletes like Sydney Crosby and Tiger Woods, it is good enough for you.  Just keep reminding yourself like the professional athletes do-short-term pain for long-term gain.

Remember to make every performance count!
-Coach Susan

Want to learn how to program your brain for personal and professional success?  Former professional athlete and Princeton graduate, Coach Susan Hobson is the Principal Performance Coach at Elite: High Performance Coaching, a science-based coaching process designed to drive your health, wealth, self and business performance to the next level. She works with high-performers like professional athletes and busy professionals like all of you.

To qualify for a FREE consultation, you can visit www.elitehighperformance.com and enter your email. As a special bonus, will also receive her weekly motivation coaching videos delivered straight to your inbox.


Alternatively, you can email her at: Susan@elitehighperformance.com or call her at: 416-801-9779.

6 Wellness Tips for Entrepreneurs

As Entrepreneurs, we know that it can be a challenge to keep stress levels in check, while eating healthy and getting enough sleep. Being mindful of your nutrition, sleep and exercise will increase your energy to give you the edge to succeed in your business. Here are a few simple wellness tips to get you rocking your biz.


1. Get Rest. This first tip is imperative for good health, yet difficult for many entrepreneurs and that is to get plenty of rest! When we sleep, our bodies can repair themselves from an often stressful, busy day, while our brains have a chance to process all the information taken in. If you use the evening as a time to unwind, you will have a much better chance at getting a good nights rest. Try going to bed no later than 10:30 and waking around 5:30-6am. You are more likely to be productive early in the morning with a fresh start which will invite relaxation later in the evening when you feel accomplished. It may take time, but eventually your body will get used to this schedule.


Here are some simple tips to help you sleep well to increase your energy and productivity.


  • Avoid evening exercise
  • Drink warm tea before bed - we love Serene Tea from The Honest Leaf. The combination of herbs is so calming and the taste is so soothing
  • Turn the screen light down on your smartphone
  • Limit all electronic use for 1 hour before bed - try some quiet reading that is unrelated to business or try meditation or a walk
  • Sleep in a dark room with a cooler temperature
  • Try magnesium - magnesium relaxes the muscles and is often deficient in people who feel over worked and stressed. We love Orange Naturals Magnesium Glycerinate or Natural Calm if you prefer a powder form that is drinkable, similar to a tea


2. But first, a workout! Moving your body in the morning wakes up the muscles and increase blood flow. We love to do 45- 60 minutes of functional training like TRX, resistance bands, squats and weights in the mornings as it helps maintain and promote muscle tone often lost from sitting all day! You don’t need to join a gym, just purchase some basic equipment or workout DVD’s that you can quickly do at home. Even 20 minutes of yoga and stretching does the body good, whatever you can fit in that day.


3. Eat balanced meals - What we eat directly affects how our brain and bodies function. As an entrepreneur, we know you need all the energy and brain power you can get! I also know that eating regularly prepared meals is not at the top of your list.


Here are some helpful tips for ensuring adequate fuel without the stress:


  • Dedicate 1 day, morning or afternoon/ week to grocery shop and prepare your food. Cook in batches, freeze and portion out into containers for the week.
  • If you aren’t into cooking, there are many healthy food delivery companies. We like Fit Organix.
  • Eat whole foods with a focus on lean protein, fresh green vegetables, raw nuts and seeds and some whole grains, while avoiding processed food and take out
  • Set yourself reminders to eat every few hours. Ideally 3 small meals and 2-3 snacks in between
  • Have healthy snacks on hand - we love Simply Protein Bars because they are delicious, low in sugar and keep me feeling full
  • Start your day with an easy energizing smoothie to maximize nutrition (recipe below)


4. Take breaks. Give yourself a lunch break mid-day for at least half an hour. Enjoy a healthy lunch of lean protein, fresh veggies and some healthy fats like avocados, seeds or olive oil to prevent you from becoming tired in the afternoon. Go for a walk, watch some funny Youtube videos or call a friend - do something to actively remove from your work. Try walking the stairs at work, or go for a walk.


5. Drink more. Water of course! Try to limit your intake of sugary soda, juice, alcohol and dehydrating coffee as they interfere with your energy levels. Get yourself a reusable water bottle that you can pack with you on the go or keep in front of you at your desk. Make it your goal to take a few sips every half hour. We love S’well Insulated water bottles because they keep your beverages cold for 24 hours. They also come in bright and fun colours so you’ll always be reminded to keep sipping! Also, try swapping your coffee for tea. If plain water is too boring for you, add some lemon or fruit for flavour.


6. Supplements. The quality of our food and our high levels of stress increase our requirements for additional nutrients. By adding a high quality multivitamin, vitamin C and absorbable magnesium can extremely helpful for our energy levels and keeping our minds sharp. It is recommended to take your supplements throughout the day. Remember, most supplements and vitamins from your local drug store are not the quality that you are looking for.


Energizing Smoothie Recipe:


  • 1 scoop of protein powder - We love the creamy texture of Dream Vanilla Whey Protein
  • 1/2 a banana
  • 1 cup of frozen blueberries
  • 1 cup of fresh spinach or kale
  • 1 tbsp. of hemp hearts (Manitoba harvest)
  • 1 cup of Coconut water (Jax) (or water)
  • Combine in a high speed blender until smooth and enjoy!


These tips work for us, but feel free to adapt any of these to fit your schedule best. Remember to always listen to your body and it’s cues. If you feel like your head is spinning give yourself permission to shut off until you’re ready to step back in the ring and tackle your next plan.


For more information or a free 15 minute consultation, please contact us at hello@juleswellness.ca. One of our Holistic Nutritionists and Holistic Lifestyle Coaches would be more than happy to help you.


- Emily Sawyer, CNP & Julie Tadeson, Founder of Jule’s Wellness