Most high performers are doing one thing consistently: looking for an edge.

We’re thinking: “What can I do today that will give me an advantage either over someone else (really, if we’re honest with ourselves) or to allow me to maximize my results?”

But often we’re looking in the wrong places.

Too often we’re head down, don’t bother me I got me some things to do…

We overlook the very things we’re already doing and how to make the most of them first.

THIS is where an Energy Edge comes into the picture.

So, let’s define an Energy Edge:

It’s leveraging your everyday major activities into an energy advantage so you can perform at an optimal level.

Let’s break that sentence down:

Leveraging – maximize use of something – not just whatever you can get out of it but being intention

Everyday Major Activities – the big elements you do daily such as sleeping / eating / moving (standing / walking / running / HIIT / strength training)

Energy Advantage – using your newfound energy into a benefit

Perform at an Optimal Level – being in your zone of flow of work that produce incredible results at the highest energy level

Here Are Six Compelling Reasons Why You Should Develop An Energy Edge

For the record, our first question is usually not what or how but why.

You’re asking me to change my thinking and I need to know why before I care about what or how is the way most people think hence six compelling reasons WHY you should develop an energy edge:

1. Proper Mindset – Energy Matters More to Me Than Time

One of the biggest misconceptions in productivity is you need more time.

It’s simply not true.

Everyone has the same amount of time. It doesn’t matter if we’re a CEO or homeless, we’re all allotted 24 hours.

I could have all the time in the world but little to no energy and hardly anything gets done.

Or if I’m running low on energy or exhausted in the afternoon, imagine that, everything takes twice as long and it’s half as good.

And the payoff is complete frustration and no additional charge. What a great deal!

But when I realize it’s more about energy than time, everything changes.

Everybody still wants more time, but what we really need is this change of mindset.

If you’ve ever seen the movie, The Matrix, Morpheus has a conversation with Neo after Neo’s uncovering this potential new world. Morpheus says to him,

“After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill—the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill—you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”

The Blue Pill represents TIME.

You’re perspective is being challenged and you could choose to just stay with the Blue Pill and everything stays the same.

But if you take the Red Pill that represents ENERGY, you’ll go deeper into the rabbit hole and learn how to truly develop an energy edge.

If you change your perspective you will no longer CHASE TIME, which could feel hopeless. Or you choose to seek Energy sources within your existing time. Red Pill.

And since an Energy Edge is green, let’s change the color of red to green for go and energy!

2. Increased Volume – You produce more when you have more energy

We all want to “get more done” but there are simply time restraints.

There is simply only so much time. Many of us try to “steal daylight” as I call it, which means sleeping less.

I’ve been there. Thinking I’m gaining more time, which technically I am, but my energy eventually is not sustainable living in sleep debt.

I need to get more OUT of the time I already have which is the challenge and subject at hand.

But most of us struggle in this area. We want to produce more volume and therefore look for more time.

It goes back to perspective. The Green Pill. Energy, not more time is the answer.

I could have HALF the time but FULL energy coupled with focus and clarity, watch out! I can get SO much accomplished.

The volume I can crank out with energy is amazing. I find “the zone” or “my flow” quicker and easier which is when the real work is produced.

3. Improved Quality – Your overall work is dramatically better

Not only does the amount of work, the quantity, increase with an energy edge, so does the quality. When I have this energy edge, my mind is clear to focus.

I don’t waste time re-reading or trying to think of what to do or say, it flows and the quality always increases, and for me, sometimes dramatically.

It’s amazing what feeling rested can do for you. Imagine that.

Here are three quick Examples: taking a break vs. pushing through

1st example:

How often have you “pushed through” when you’re tired just to “getter done” but then re-read it the next day and think, “what was I thinking or what was I on?”

Then you have to go back through it (aka: complete waste of time) or hit the dreaded DELETE key and just flat out start over.

But we earned the “I worked a ton of hours” award.

WFC = who flipping cares.

I would choose quality of work any day of the week / hands down / drop the mic / Buckley out.

2nd example:

Not taking time to eat – running low on energy that might be from a caffeine breakfast.

3rd example:

Lousy meal (Desktop Dining) – inhaling lousy food and sitting like a brick in your stomach and quality of work is affected in all of these examples

If I’m burping it often leads to other obscene scents to… I’m miserable. My stomach starts to hurt. I shouldn’t have caved when I ordered. C’mon Man!

An energy edge will dramatically affect the overall quality of your work and who doesn’t want that at the end of the day?

4. Competitive Advantage – You’re Doing Something Most are NOT Doing

I love when I can differentiate myself. And when companies can do this, they flat out win and win big. Same with sports teams. Go Cubs Go. #FlyTheWall.

Most people are taking the Blue Pill of Time. Few on the Green Pill of Energy.

Some may be leveraging one of the everyday major activities, far less will be leveraging two.

But all three of sleep, nutrition, and movement? Almost unheard of these days.

Maybe the majority is wrong.

Pushing through our days, busy, beatdown, and burned out is not the answer. Just because most people are doing it, doesn’t make it right.

You’re in the minority and in an elite group

Choosing an Energy Edge is a secret weapon.

I love having the most energy in the room. Now, I don’t mean ADHD energy.

I mean focused, powerful energy by leveraging my energy day major activities in sleep, nutrition, and fitness into an energy edge so I can perform at an optimal level.

5. Overall Fulfillment – I’m energized at the end of the day and not drained

When I’m tired, I just think I need more time (which is true because I’ve been dragging all day and end my day feeling drained).

I feel the weight and stress of ALL that DIDN’T get done. Lousy place to end up and not cool, man.

So I end my day thinking about all I have to do tomorrow now.

But when I have an energy edge, I feel energized at the end of the day because of all that has been accomplished that day. I know I worked at the highest energy level and the results were there.

What an incredible feeling to experience at the end of the day to feel fulfilled!

And what if you stringed weeks, then months, and even years of this production and fulfillment?

Who doesn’t want that?! Holy Shnikes!

Sometimes the fulfillment is necessarily the job itself or your title but what you actually accomplished within your day.

6. Proper Priorities – Energy for the Right People and Things

When I have energy, I make better decisions on nutrition and fitness. Hands down. Things that move the energy needle.

I also have energy to connect with my spouse and give attention to my kids. An absolute must for me.

So, for example, if I’m coming home from being on the road or doing a training, or even if I’m working out of my home office and I’m drained. I’m not giving the Proper Priority to the people that matter the most to me.

They get the leftovers, the scraps, or sometimes sadly, the fumes of my energy. Personally, I struggle with that. They deserve better.

And this is something I learned the hard way especially with traveling in corporate for so many years.

I want to have an Energy Edge so I can have the Proper Priorities for the right people and things that matter most to me.

So, I’ve chosen the Green Pill of Energy and leverage my everyday major activities into an energy advantage so I can work and life at an optimal level.

Think about the last time you met someone full of energy.

Not the obnoxious kind, but the one that lights up a room and attracts others to it.

The kind that is focused, productive, and full of life.

But sadly, the thought wears people out.

They’re simply nowhere close.

Why? Because most people live in the Exhaustion Cycle.

This is where we move from:

Busy – Can’t Stop Now – I’m hurried and my energy is dispersed

Beatdown – Can’t Take This – I’m now stressed and my energy is decreased

Burnout – Can’t Keep Going – I’m officially done and my energy is depleted

I use an analogy of a high performing car. High performers are always going 100 mph, putting in cheap gas, little to no maintenance, only wanting quick and cheap repairs if needed, and then red-lining the RPMs while running on fumes.

The car looks amazing on the outside, always washed and waxed. And it’s immaculate on the inside, always vacuumed and spotless.

Yet we treat it like a junker.

This high performance car sadly has been running only in the Exhaustion Cycle.

The Energy Cycle, however is the solution to the problem of the Exhaustion Cycle.