The Mind Leads. The Body Follows.

Jody Eaton
3 days ago
2 min read

SoulShiners,

Let me ask you something…

Have you ever surprised yourself during a workout, an uphill climb, or a long day on your feet?

Maybe you thought, I can’t hold this pace. I need to stop. I’m too tired….

And then somehow - you didn’t.

You kept going. Not because your muscles suddenly changed, but because your mind did.

New research published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that just three weeks of mental training improved endurance performance by 10%.

Three weeks. Not three months. Not a year. Three weeks.

Research studied healthy adults completing cycling tests to exhaustion. One group received mental training while the other did not.

Participants learned simple skills: breathing to reduce stress, focusing on what they could control, using positive self-talk, and visualizing success. Interestingly, the workouts didn’t necessarily feel easier - but their bodies became more efficient. They breathed slower, used less oxygen, delayed fatigue, and ultimately performed better.

This is a really powerful reminder that the brain and body are always working together. It’s also why we don’t just train muscles - we train nervous systems.

So the next time things feel hard, try this:

Slow your breathing

Focus on the next minute

Replace “I can’t” with “stay with it”

Picture your future self finishing strong

Your limits are often negotiated in the mind before they are reached in the body.

The body hears everything the mind says.

Train both,

Jode xo

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