A Focused Way to Maintain High Energy

I received a very nice compliment from one of my students the other day. It was a simple question I was asked, and I will cherish the thought indefinitely. The student asked, “Mr. Dalio, why do you always have so much energy?”

I took this as a compliment for a few reasons. One is that I admire people who have unending energy. I want to be like that too. However, these days I actually feel runned down and exhausted. Besides my regular teaching job (which already takes enough out of me in itself) I have been working another job part time, and I am now managing our school’s baseball team as I have for the past five years. The fact that I am constantly exhausted and feeling like I lack energy, yet I seem to be giving the impression of being full of it (energy I mean) added a great deal of happiness to my world.

I was not about to let go of this teachable moment, so I answered her question for her and the entire class. I now share it with you in case you are wondering how to keep your energy level high, even in the busiest times of your life.

• Put your full focus on the task at hand – I admitted to my students that the statement surprised me a bit because of my business and feeling overwhelmed. However, I realized that the more I placed my full attention on each task, the more effectively each task was completed. When we procrastinate or try doing things half-heartedly with a lack of energy, we receive the same types of results. We also drain ourselves of energy when we don’t use the energy we have to its fullest.
• Maintain a positive attitude  – Plain and simple, a negative attitude drains our energy. We receive more scientific proof each day of how stress destroys the body. A positive attitude on the other hand adds energy to any situation.
• Present moment focus – This goes hand in hand with the first point. When we focus on all we can do now, we are more likely to place our greatest focus on the current task at hand. We don’t waste energy dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.
• Be my best self and let God’s love shine through – I couldn’t exactly share this in a public middle school classroom, but I certainly add it here for you. When I do all I can do and let God take care of the rest, I am placing my energy where I need to…in the hands of God. His energy can acccomplish far more than mine. When I do this, I accomplish more with less effort on my part.

When I explained this to my middle school students in school setting terms, they seemed to get it. Besides being a great compliment for me, it was a great learning experience for my entire class. I also realized how I could use this guideline for myself more consciously and regularly to bring myself closer to accomplishing my greatest goals. The same is true for you too. If you are seeking more energy in your life, this formula will certainly bring it to you. Enjoy the blessings 🙂