What if you made the choice today, when you walked into work, to act like there’s no place in the world you’d rather be? How would that affect your productivity? Your attitude? Your presentation to the review board? Your engagement with customers? Your interactions with coworkers?

The field of psychology has discovered that your perception of physiological arousal can define your cognitive experience -- effectively, your perception of how you feel determines whether it is a positive or negative state. Take an Olympic skier in the hours and minutes before her event. Physically, she will be experiencing a host of feelings all lumped into the category of “physiological arousal” -- tense muscles, rapid heart rate, restlessness, sweaty, jittery, etc. All of these physical conditions could be perceived as nervousness, worry, anxiety -- all negative emotional states frequently associated with diminished performance. On the other hand, these exact same physical conditions could be associated with excitement, anticipation, joy -- positive emotional states frequently associated with improved performance and an all-around more pleasant experience. The stimuli are the same, but the perception of these stimuli define the result. And, practically speaking, this could very well be the difference between a gold medal and a bombed performance.

A naysayer could call this “fooling yourself,” “tricking your mind,” or even “faking it,” but the reality is that your perception of what you’re feeling is the true defining factor in your results. The physiological reality of an elevated heart rate remains unchanged, but a cognitive 180 degree turn can make for two diametrically opposite experiences of this physiological reality.

Going back to your workday, you are presented with a choice: succumb to feelings of resentment and agonize over that which you cannot control? Or make the choice to act like there’s no place in the world you’d rather be for a handful of hours? You may have to pretend for the moment, but I’m willing to bet the outcomes will be very real.

- PS

3/21/18

• 4 rounds for time:

• 12 hang power cleans (185/135)

• 100’ sled push (5 plates / 3 plates)

• 30 hand-release push-ups