Did you know that you could help protect yourself from burnout, lessen anxiety and stress, and avoid feeling overwhelmed by taking small steps today, before challenges arise?
Good news—you can! And the process is simple, effective, and backed by science.
“Sit still long enough, and a crisis will come. Take action, however small, to feel better before a struggle turns into a fight for survival,” says Madefor Co-founder, Pat Dossett, in his recent Madefor Perspective post.
While you can’t avoid challenges altogether, you can take a proactive approach. In fact, that very idea is at the forefront of Madefor’s process.
Small steps that lead to big shifts. This is the Madefor approach.
Let’s talk about the science behind this approach.
“There are essentially two ways to modify the brain to be better,” says Madefor’s lead advisor Dr. Andrew Huberman, an associate professor of neurobiology and head of the Huberman Lab at Stanford University’s School of Medicine.
The first way to change your brain is through “high-attention, high-intensity” events. Think of the rush you get from running a marathon or watching the birth of a child.
The second way to create brain change is through smaller actions over time. Think of learning to play the piano or drive a car. It takes practice and effort every day to get really good and permanently change your brain. It’s these small actions done repeatedly over time that create new and lasting connections in your brain, which is how habits form and stick. This is called neuroplasticity!
This is the Madefor approach. We aren’t going to ask you to experience one life-changing event. We help YOU make brain change happen through small, consistent actions.
Thinking about getting into action isn't going to be effective; taking action will be.
Now it’s time to take an action step.
Is there a habit or area of your life that you want to improve? We’re going to ask you to take one small action step today to start making progress on this one thing.
An example of a habit you may want to work on is drinking more water throughout the day, which is actually Madefor’s first monthly challenge. The science says that establishing a proper hydration routine can quickly reverse negative side effects of dehydration and bring about enhanced concentration, increased energy, improved digestion, better moods, and more.
Instead of telling members how many bottles of water to drink a day, we ask our members to find out for themselves by tracking their progress, noticing how they feel, and then deciding at the end of day if they need more or less the following day.
Now it’s time for you to pick your action step for today. You can choose to drink more water or do something else entirely, like put down your phone before bed or stretch 1x every day. Don’t focus too much on the outcomes; just let your body guide you. You got this!
