Each week I’m posting updates on my “GNAR Quest,” inspired by Steven Kotler’s science-based approach for Peak Performance Aging (PPA) and staying “gnarly” at any age.
I am in Week 4 of my “GNAR Quest.” To be honest, while this self-assigned project is exhilarating at times and a continuous learning adventure, it is really HARD. I expected it to be challenging, but I’m finding that it takes constant vigilance, discipline and awareness to ensure I am making the most of every day.
Here’s an example: one of the tenets of a GNAR Quest is the practice of “finding your edge” every day. After all, the definition of Gnar is: “an environment or situation that is high in perceived risk and high in actual risk.”
So, what does that mean in practical terms? For me, it is consciously and intentionally approaching activities to see the possibility to push myself, to stretch the boundaries of the “challenge-skill balance.”
Finding my edge can take many forms. If I am working out at the gym, I might find a more challenging way to use weights—maybe from a different position, or doing slightly more reps than normal.
If I’m working on a proposal for a client, instead of just relying on the standard approach I would normally take, I might think about how I can make this one really different. I might try putting myself in the scene to better understand how the client is dealing with real, pressing business issues that connect to leadership development. Or I might try using some provocative visuals. Again, the idea is to keep stretching the boundaries of what is comfortable and known.
While working on a proposal may not seem too “gnarly,” it definitely involves moving beyond the normal, taking a risk, and being creative. And Creativity is one of the four elements of Peak Performance Aging.
How can you conduct your own mini Gnar Quest and start to “find your edge” every day?
Want to get caught up?
Week 1: Growing Old, Staying Rad