Consistency is a key attribute in the application of the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance.
Dr. Darin Davidson partners with Learner+, a CME/CE reflective learning platform for healthcare providers. For the opportunity to reflect on this article and earn CME/CE credits, Launch here. Check out all past articles which are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits.
For downloadable, actionable strategies and tactics to leverage biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, visit the resource store, Launch here. Chapters are arranged by topic so those of interest can be selected and each are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits through Learner+.
Throughout this article series, it has been often discussed that the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance is based upon a foundation of developing the mind-based and body-based skills within the framework of the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete. From the perspective of health and wellbeing, this allows for the development of strong anchored and grounded states, as well as a flexible nervous system that allows us to return to these states when we experience the inevitable shifts into activated, attacking, anxious, overwhelmed, and shutdown states that occur in response to cues of uncertainty, risk, and threat that we will unavoidably experience. When we consider sustainable high performance, the objectives noted above are also essential in the formation of the platform upon which sustainable high performance becomes possible. Three additional layers are then considered, which are more specific to the pursuit of sustainable high performance. These include the ability to leverage our biology and shift into optimal performance states, manage the fear based hindrances which we will inevitably encounter, and optimize recovery and restoration practices.
In order to fully pursue each of these objectives, consistency is a key and essential attribute. What is meant through the application of consistency is not related to outcomes, however. Rather this relates to consistency in the implementation of regular routines and the application of strategies and tactics to leverage our biology in the desired fashion.
In essence, the consistency that is referred to within this paradigm is a consistency of the process of developing and applying the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete. This provides numerous important benefits as we seek to optimally leverage our biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance.
When we are able to consistently implement our routines and apply the strategies and tactics within this framework, we provide predictable cues for our nervous system. Ultimately, our nervous system responds to regular and predictable cues by shifting further towards anchored and grounded states. We can appreciate that the consistent application of the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete can further strengthen anchored and grounded states and increase the flexibility of our nervous system through the provision of predictability to our nervous system. Ultimately this leads towards shifts into anchored and grounded states.
Associated with the consistent and predictable practices noted above is the avoidance of cues of uncertainty. From the perspective of our nervous system, cues of uncertainty are typically associated with shifts towards activated, attacking, anxious, overwhelmed, and shutdown states. As such, we are able to better leverage our biology towards the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance by avoiding uncertainty to the greatest extent possible. It is, of course, essential to recognize that given the nature of life, and in particular the pursuit of sustainable high performance, there is an inevitable degree of uncertainty which exists. By focusing our efforts on being as consistent as possible in the embodiment of the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete, we are able to at least reduce self induced and self created exposure to uncertainty.
When we are able to regularly and consistently practice and train the mind-based and body-based skills within this framework, we effectively create repetitions which allows us to develop proficiency with these skills. Complementary to this is the understanding that in order to apply the principles and processes of neuroplasticity and update and evolve our neural networks to result in changes in our actions, behaviors, and responses to the situations we encounter, it is necessary that we provide ourselves with as many repetitions as possible in a consistent fashion.
If we are to practice skills in a haphazard or random fashion, we will not optimally update or adjust our neural processes and networks. It is important to recognize that the functions related to neuroplasticity are always occurring. If we are not intentional and deliberate in the way in which we perform activities, this process will lead to sub optimal reinforcement of neural networks. The end result of this will be that we will not be able to implement and utilize the desired skills to their optimal benefit. On the other hand, when we develop and implement regular and consistent practice of the skills we are trying to develop, we create the optimal circumstances to reinforce the desired neural networks through the process of neuroplasticity. This results in a higher level of skill proficiency. In so doing, we are better positioned to pursue our objectives in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance.
As has been discussed in a past article, the development and creation of positive habits is an essential component to developing the mind-based and body-based skills within this framework. Habit creation at its core requires repetitive and regular opportunities and situations in which we perform the desired skill. This allows for not only skill proficiency as described above, but also helps to develop the habit such that when we are encountering similar situations in the future, we have engrained within ourselves and within our biology the ability to respond in the desired fashion. In order to optimally develop these habits, it is essential that we practice the necessary skills repeatedly and in a consistent fashion. Without doing so, it is not possible to fully engrain the skills and create and develop the desired habit.
Ultimately, by utilizing the concepts described above and optimizing our consistency, we provide the foundation to be the best version of our self as often as possible. This includes consistent and optimal utilization of mind-based and body-based skills, strategies, and tactics. When we are able to do this, the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete truly come to life and we are able to leverage our biology to optimize and pursue health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance.
To learn more, including about polyvagal informed coaching for healthcare professionals and others in high demand domains, please visit www.darindavidson.com.
Dr. Darin Davidson partners with Learner+, a CME/CE reflective learning platform for healthcare providers. For the opportunity to reflect on this article and earn CME/CE credits, Launch here. Check out all past articles which are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits.
For downloadable, actionable strategies and tactics to leverage biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, visit the resource store, Launch here. Chapters are arranged by topic so those of interest can be selected and each are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits through Learner+.