Optimise Your Health
- Mr Smyth
- Aug 11
- 2 min read
A lot of students try to improve performance without improving:
the system producing the performance.
Your brain is not separate from your body.
Your:
energy
focus
motivation
memory
discipline
mood
confidence
are all heavily affected by your health.
Top performers understand:
high performance requires high capacity.
And you cannot pour from an empty cup.
Main Problems
1. Students expect elite performance from an exhausted body
A lot of students:
sleep badly
scroll all night
barely move
stay indoors constantly
overload their brain
Then wonder:
“Why can’t I focus?”
Your brain needs:
energy
recovery
movement
oxygen
routine
to perform properly.
2. Students treat health as optional
Top performers treat health like:
performance fuel.
Average performers treat it like:
an afterthought.
Your habits either increase your capacity…or drain it.
3. Students underestimate how much health affects confidence
When:
energy is low
sleep is poor
movement disappears
everything feels:
harder
heavier
more emotional
more stressful
Optimising health creates:
clearer thinking
emotional stability
resilience
confidence
Action 1: Exercise Like Your Brain Depends On It
Because it does.
Exercise improves:
mood
focus
memory
stress levels
confidence
energy
Choose movement you genuinely enjoy:
gym
football
running
dance
martial arts
swimming
walking
cycling
The best exercise is:
the one you actually stick to.
And yes, girls doing strength training will NOT suddenly become Arnold Schwarzenegger 😊
Strength training is incredibly good for:
confidence
posture
energy
long-term health
Action 2: Build Both Cardio AND Strength
Think of this like upgrading:
your engine and your armour.
Cardio improves:
stamina
endurance
heart health
mental resilience
Strength training improves:
confidence
posture
physical capability
discipline
Top performers usually build both.
Action 3: Protect Your Sleep Aggressively
Sleep is not laziness.
Sleep is:
performance recovery.
Aim for:
7–9 hours.
When sleep drops:
focus drops
memory drops
emotional control drops
motivation drops
A tired brain struggles to perform consistently.
Action 4: Build Routines That Reduce Chaos
Routines create:
structure
stability
predictability
Top performers often have routines around:
sleep
revision
exercise
meals
downtime
This reduces decision fatigue and helps behaviour become automatic.
Action 5: Maintain Social Connection
Go outside.
See your friends.
Talk to people.
Laugh.
Human beings are not designed to:
sit isolated
scroll endlessly
live entirely online
Social connection improves:
mental health
emotional regulation
happiness
resilience
Action 6: Get Off Your Phone
Most phones are:
distraction machines.
A lot of students lose:
hours
focus
attention span
energy
without even noticing.
Scrolling often creates:
comparison
procrastination
overstimulation
mental exhaustion
If your phone constantly controls your attention:
your focus never fully develops.
And if you need this lesson repeating…go watch the procrastination lesson again 😊
Action 7: Increase Capacity, Not Just Effort
A lot of students try:
“working harder.”
Top performers also focus on:
becoming stronger.
A healthier brain and body can:
focus longer
recover faster
handle more pressure
sustain higher performance
Your health directly affects your potential.
Top performers understand:success is not just about effort.
It is about building a body and mind capable of sustaining that effort consistently 😊
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