Skill of self confidence

Building Self-Confidence: Insights from a Soccer Coach

In my past life as a soccer coach, once you won a national championship, everyone wants to come play for you. Really not true. Once you paid them $25,000 a year in scholarships, everybody wants to come play for you. And parents would always come to me and they'd say: "Okay, my son or my daughter wants to come play at your university, what is it that we have to do? You know, what are you looking for?" And being the Socratic professor that I am, I say, well, what does your son or daughter do? What do they do really well that we'd be interested in? And typically their answers are, well, they've got great vision. They're really good. They can see the entire field. Or, my daughter is the fastest player, there's nobody that can beat her. Or, my son's got a great left-footer. Really great in the air and can hit every ball. I'm like: "Yeah, not bad; but to be quite honest with you, those are the last things I'm looking for. The most important thing? Self-confidence." Without that skill, and I use the word skill intentionally, without that skill, we are useless as a soccer player. Because when you lose sight or belief in yourself, we're done for.

I use the definition of self-confidence to be the ability or the belief to believe in yourself, to accomplish any task, no matter the odds, no matter the difficulty, no matter the adversity. The belief that you can accomplish it, self-confidence. Some of you are saying, "Great, I don't have it. I'm so shy. I'll never do that, bla, bla, bla." And you start to drag all the way down here. But, I use the word skill because I believe it can be trained. And I'll show you a couple of ways in which we do. Hopefully I won't run out of time. I don't use any slides because my speech always goes here, or here, or here. So we'll see which way we get to.

The easiest way to build self-confidence: there's no magic button. I can't say: "Hey, this plane is going down, who can fly? Put your hand up." "I can, I'm confident!" (Laughter) Repetition, repetition, repetition. Right? What does Malcom Gladwell call it, the 10,000-hour rule? There's no magic button. I recruited a goalie from Colombia, South America one year. Big, tall 6'3" man. You know, he had hands like stone. I thought he was like Flipper. Every time I threw him the ball, down, onto the ground. I was like, oh my god, we're in trouble. Simple solution: get to the wall, kick a ball against the wall and catch it. Kick the ball against the wall and catch it. His goal was 350 a day for eight months. He came back, his hands were calloused, the moisture on his hands were literally gone, he is now playing in Europe. Magic? No. Repetition, repetition, repetition.

The problem is, we expect to be self-confident but we can't be unless the skill, or the task we're doing, is not novel, is not new to us. We want to be in a situation where we have so much pressure in that and what I mean, cause pressure builds diamonds, we want to be in a situation where "hey, I've done this a thousand times". I did my speech, and I practiced in front of a mirror: bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla. Hey I'm sounding good. And then I went in front of my kids, and my wife. I said, oh gosh, I got a little nervous. Then I'd get in front of Glenn Gould, Oh my goodness, I am a little more nervous! By the time I get to the ACG, where 2,500 people, can't say anymore, right? Twenty-five hundred people, where twenty-five hundred people are there, I won't have a single ounce of nervousness because of my ability to practice. Right? Over, and over, and over, again.

The problem with repetition is: how many of us bail after the first bit of failure? How many of us bail after the first bit of adversity? Edison was on that video, and it depends who you ask, there's anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 tries to build that light bulb. 1,000 to 10,000. J.K Rowling should be on that video. Do you know how many publishers she took her Harry Potter book to? I believe the number was 12 or 13... I am pretty confident but after two or three noes I'd be like: "damn it!". After six or seven, I'm like: "maybe not!" Definitely after nine or ten I'd be looking to be a soccer coach or something else besides an author. (Laughter) Right? I mean, twelve times somebody said no. But, practice, practice, practice, and do not accept failure. Maybe it shouldn't be repetition, maybe the answer should be persistence. Because we all repeat something but very few of us really will persist. So that's one way to build self-confidence. Get out there. Do what you want to do and do not accept no.

The other one is self-talk. We all have a self-talk tape that plays in our head. Anybody go shopping and put on a pair of pants this week? If you're a woman, the first thing that always comes: "damn I look fat in these pants!". And if you're a man, it's the opposite: "Oh god, I got no muscle, I'm so flabby!" Right? We all have this tape that plays in our head. As a student, if they asked me the question, it was like: "Oh, gee please professor don't pick me, I don't know the answer." I'd look down. Right? If you're in the b...when I, let me tell you something, and the VP of business adminis. here, I shouldn't repeat this, but when they hired me as an Athletics director, I sat in an architect's meeting, and I am as dumb as a post when it comes to anything to do with numbers and angles. And they are like: the fundibulator valve of the architectural, uh, what do you think doctor Joseph? Uh, let me look into that for you and get back to you. (Laughter) Right? I was in a, oh god god, please don't ask me, please don't ask me.

We all have this negative self-talk that goes in our head. Guess what? There's enough people that are telling us we can't do it. That we're not good enough. Why do we want to tell ourselves that? We know for a fact that thoughts influence actions. We saw it there with the video Sheldon, Dr. Levy showed. We know that our thoughts influence actions, why do we want to say that negative self-talk to ourselves? We need to get our own self-affirmations. Muhammad Ali, what was his self-affirmation? I am the greatest! Who else is going to tell you? There need to be quiet moments in your bedroom, quiet moments when you're brushing your teeth. That we need to reaffirm: "I am the captain of my ship and the master of my fate!" That is my affirmation. I came from a school of one thousand people, I lived in a town of one thousand people for fifteen years; there's no reason that I should be in charge of an Athletics department, building maple leaf gardens. But I am the captain of my ship and the master of my fate. If I don't say it, if I don't believe it, no one else will.

How do you build self-confidence? Get away from the people who will tear you down. There's enough of that. Muhammad Ali, I am the greatest! There is no one better than me. There's a difference between hubris, and ego, and false pride. It's just reminding yourself in quiet silent moments, I put it down on a list, it's right beside my mirror, right? about all the things that make me who I am. Because I make enough mistakes, and the newspapers will recognize it, and people around me will recognize it; and they'll tear me down, and pretty soon I'll begin to believe it. There was a time when my confidence was really low. There was a time when I took this job when I came from Iowa, I don't know if I could do it. I had to bring out my self-confidence letter. A letter I wrote to myself when I was feeling good. Ivan, congratulations on getting your PhD before 40. Congra...I am 40, under. (Laughter) Congratulations on winning a national championship. Good job on raising three good kids and marrying the right woman. I wrote a letter to myself, it was my own brag sheet. My own letter about the things I was proud of. Because there are moments, and we'll all experience them in our career, in our lives, in our job hunting, in our relationships; when we are not feeling good about who, and what, and where we are. And I had to bring out that letter and read it time and time again, for a period of about two weeks, to weather me through that storm. It was important.

Stop the self-talk, the negative self-talk. If you watch you'll see some athletes that have a little bandage, or a little brand around them. Lance Armstrong is a perfect one. What's his self-affirmation? Livestrong isn't a brand, it was to remind him of who he was. Live strong. Then it became a brand. He would move that from one arm to the next arm, when doubt and fear came into his mind. Live strong. Remind yourself that you can do it, because you will.

If you are here today, you are already on the way to succeeding. Success is a process, it's a journey. So we have a journey to go, but one thing I want to tell you is: how to keep going, how to build self-confidence, how to get through that rough spot, how to get through adversity: persistence, repetition, perseverance. Affirmation: remind yourself of who you are. And the more you do that, the more you're going to believe it, and the more you believe it, the more confident you'll be. And the more confident you'll be, the more you're going to accomplish. But don't expect it to happen overnight. Expect to fail a little bit. Expect to be frustrated. That means you're growing. That's good! But, keep going. Because if you keep going, you will, you will, succeed.

Best Diet for Brain Health & Memory

 

Enhancing Brain Health Through Nutrition

The foods that we eat actually provide the structural basis, the building blocks, of the very neurons that allow us to think. Over time, there are a lot of data now that indicate certain things that we can do, including certain foods that we should eat, in order to enhance our brain function. Some of the most frequent questions I get are about food and the brain. Everybody seems to want to know what they should eat and what they shouldn't eat in order to have peak brain function, to be able to focus, memorize things, and so forth, and in order to maintain brain health over time. Because nobody wants to lose their memory or have troubles with cognition. Fortunately, there are a lot of data now from really good quality, peer-reviewed studies that indicate certain things that we can do, including certain foods that we should eat and perhaps even some foods that we should avoid, in order to enhance our brain function.

And of course, when I say brain, what I really mean is nervous system function because how we are able to move and remember things, etc., doesn't just depend on the neurons—the nerve cells—that are in our head. It also depends on our spinal cord and the neurons that connect to all the organs of our body. So in general, there are two categories of things that are going to improve brain health from the perspective of nutrition. The first category is the general category of things that we eat and avoid, and things that we do and avoid doing, that will modulate brain health and function.

What do I mean by modulate? Well, getting quality sleep on a regular basis, making sure that you're socially connected, making sure that you're not depressed, all these things are vitally important to our overall health and of course they will impact brain function, but they do it more or less indirectly. Okay, there are a few things that happen in sleep which directly benefit brain function and repair, etc., but today I really want to concentrate not on the things that modulate our overall health, but rather the things that mediate brain health directly and in particular how certain foods enhance brain function.

And we are going to talk about how we can change our relationship to food—literally how we can start to prefer certain foods that are better for us than others. So just briefly, I want to touch on the modulatory components because they are vital. First of all, getting quality sleep on a regular basis and ample sleep on a regular basis is the foundation of all mental health and physical health—there's no question about that. So I just want to make crystal clear that unless you're sleeping well on a regular basis, your brain will suffer. You won't be able to focus very well, learn very well, and indeed, there are data linking poor quality sleep to dementia or at least exacerbating pre-existing dementias and things of that sort. So get your sleep in order.

The other, of course, is cardiovascular health and exercise. The general prescription that's out there in the literature and I think is well-supported is to get somewhere between 150 and 180 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week. If you choose to also use resistance exercise, that's great, but the 150 to 180 minutes minimum per week of cardiovascular exercise is crucial for heart health, and heart health directly relates to brain health because the brain consumes a lot of oxygen, glucose, and other factors that are delivered via the blood. So if your arteries are clogged up and you've got poor vascular supply to the brain in any region of the brain, your brain will suffer. So get cardiovascular health in order.

Now, with those two modulatory elements set forth so that we're all aware that they're there and they are vitally important, now I'd like to turn to the elements that have been shown to be vitally important for directly controlling, for mediating neuron function. Neurons, of course, are nerve cells in the brain, and there are other cell types too, of course, that will impact brain function. The most prominent of which are the so-called glia. Glia means glue, but even though for a long time people thought that these cells were just kind of holding things together passively, the glia play a very active role in the metabolism of neurons in brain function and probably also in cognition, in thinking, and so forth.

So what are the things that directly impact brain health, and what are the foods that we can eat that will support brain health? Generally, when we think about neuron function and brain function, we default to a discussion about fuel—the fact that neurons use glucose, which is blood sugar, and that they require a lot of it. In some cases, they'll use ketones, which we will talk about a little bit later, especially in people that are following a low carbohydrate or ketogenic diet. But before we can even consider the fuels that neurons use in order to function, we have to talk about the elements that actually allow those neurons to be there and to stay healthy.

What actually makes up those neurons? And that brings us to what I would argue is the most important food element for brain function, and that is fat. And that might come as a surprise, but unless one considers the water content of the brain—which is very high—a lot of our brain and a lot of the integrity of the nerve cells, the so-called neurons in our brain, and the other types of cells comes from fat. And that's because nerve cells and other cells in the brain have an external layer, it's what's sometimes called a double-layered membrane. It's essentially two thin layers that serve as a boundary between those cells, and that boundary is very important because how things pass across that boundary actually regulates the electrical activity of neurons, which is the way that neurons fire and communicate and keep you thinking and acting and doing all the good things that those neurons allow us to do.

And those membranes are made up of fats. But they're not made up of the fats that are around our belly or around the other organs of our body. They're not made up of storage fat. They are made up of structural fat, and maintaining the so-called integrity of that structural fat—meaning the health of those neurons—is going to come in large part from the foods that we eat. This needs to be underscored: what I'm saying is that the foods that we eat actually provide the structural basis, the building blocks of the very neurons that allow us to think.

Over time, as I mentioned earlier, the fat that makes up those neurons and other nerve cells is different than the other types of fat in the body. So what type of fat is it, and what should we eat in order to support that fat and those neurons? And the answer is the so-called essential fatty acids and phospholipids. Now, those are more or less the same thing, but I just want to make a very large point very crystal clear: essential fatty acids can include the so-called EPA variety or DHA variety. You hear about Omega-3s and Omega-6s. Most people are getting enough Omega-6s from their diet—not everybody, but most people are getting enough Omega-6s. However, most people are not getting enough Omega-3s in their diet to support healthy brain function in the short and long term.

I've talked before about the benefits of elevating the levels of Omega-3s in one's diet for the sake of offsetting depression and for enhancing mood. And indeed, there's a wealth of literature now pointing to the fact that ingesting at least one or two or even three grams per day of the EPA form of essential fatty acids can have positive effects on mood and well-being that are at least on par with some of the major antidepressant treatments out there, but without similar side effects to those antidepressant treatments. And that for people that are already taking antidepressants, supplementing with one to two to three grams of EPA essential fatty acids can actually allow a lower dose of antidepressant treatment to be used and still be effective. So that's depression.

But just in terms of maintaining normal cognitive function in people that aren't depressed, the EPAs and Omega-3s seem to play a very important role. Of course, you can supplement EPAs through various fish oils, and it could be liquid fish oil or capsule fish oil. Some people, if they're not interested in eating fish for whatever reason—they're allergic or for ethical reasons—they can take krill oil. If they don't want to use krill oil, they can use algae and other forms of EPA. However, I think it's clear that one can get a lot of EPA from the proper foods, and it turns out that those foods—not surprisingly—don't just contain high levels of EPA, but they also contain other things that are beneficial for brain health.

So what are foods that are high in Omega-3s that we should all probably be consuming at least on a daily basis? The number one is fish. So things like mackerel, salmon, herring, oysters, sardines, anchovies, and perhaps the heavyweight champion of EPAs per unit volume is caviar. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm not eating a lot of fish. I'm not eating a lot of caviar. I don't think I can't remember the last time I had caviar unless it was, you know, sprinkled on a little bit of sushi. I'm not a big fish eater personally. I will from time to time, but that's one reason why one might want to supplement with EPAs from another source.

But also, EPAs are found in chia seeds, walnuts, soybeans, and other plant-based foods. You can look these up online, and you'll immediately see that there are a lot of sources of EPAs, and many of the foods that I listed off might be appetizing to you. Some of them might be unappetizing to you, or some of them you might be sort of neutral about, but it's very clear that eating foods that are rich in Omega-3s and/or supplementing with Omega.

Most Nutrient-Dense Foods (Superfoods) On The Planet

 

13 Most Nutrient-Dense Foods on the Planet

Some foods are referred to as superfoods since they are extremely healthy and nutritious while containing high amounts of nutrients. These foods offer you many health benefits too. They help fight inflammation, reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, improve gut health, vision, and many more. So let's see the 13 most nutrient-dense foods on the planet:

Number one: Salmon
Salmon and other fatty fish contain omega-3 fatty acids which help prevent heart disease, stroke, inflammatory disease, and autoimmune disorders. In addition, salmon is rich in high-quality protein, vitamins B3, B5, B6, B12, vitamin D and E, selenium, and potassium. Finally, regular consumption of fatty fish is associated with better weight control, reduced risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, dementia, and depression, and an improved sense of well-being.

Number two: Kale
Most leafy greens are highly nutritious, and kale is one of them. It is rich in vitamins C, K, A, B6, and minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, and manganese. In addition, kale is a good source of fiber. It is also high in various bioactive compounds, including isothiocyanates and several other antioxidants.

Number three: Legumes
Legumes are a group of foods that include beans, peas, lentils, soybeans, and peanuts. They are high in dietary fiber, which promotes digestive health and reduces calorie intake. Legumes are one of the best sources of plant-based protein, making them suitable for a vegan or vegetarian diet. They are also rich in complex carbohydrates that provide lasting energy to the body. Despite being rich in carbohydrates, they have a low glycemic index, meaning they do not increase blood glucose levels significantly. This characteristic is especially beneficial for individuals with diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Finally, legumes contain vitamins, antioxidants, and several minerals such as iron, calcium, and magnesium.

Number four: Eggs
Eggs are one of the cheapest but extremely nutritious foods available. They contain small amounts of almost every nutrient required by the human body and are called Nature's multivitamin since they contain all the vitamins except vitamin C. They are rich in good animal proteins, healthy fats, and low in carbohydrates. Eggs also provide good amounts of essential nutrients, including iron, selenium, phosphorus, and iodine. Moreover, eggs are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, two important nutrients that prevent age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. According to research, regular consumption of eggs is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes and better weight control.

Number five: Avocado
Some people call avocado a super fruit since it is extremely nutritious and offers many health benefits. They are rich in healthy fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamin C, E, K, B2, B3, B5, B6, folate, and minerals like magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese. Avocados are also a rich source of fiber, which improves digestive health, and plant-based antioxidants, which fight against many chronic disease conditions.

Number six: Berries
Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are extremely nutritious. They are well known for their antioxidant properties, which help fight inflammation and cancer. In addition, berries are a good source of fiber, vitamins C, K, and folate, and minerals such as copper and manganese. Since they have a low glycemic index, they are good for people with diabetes as well. Berries also help reduce blood cholesterol levels and are good for your skin health too.

Number seven: Nuts
Nuts are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, which are essential for a range of bodily functions. Additionally, they contain a variety of other nutrients, including vitamins K, E, folate, and thiamine, and minerals such as magnesium and potassium. Nuts are also rich in carotenoids and antioxidants. Most healthy types of nuts include almonds, pistachios, and walnuts.

Number eight: Garlic
Garlic is well known for its medicinal properties for centuries. The main active ingredient in garlic is allicin, which helps lower blood pressure and improves lipid levels in blood. Garlic also has anti-cancer, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. It is rich in vitamins C, B1, and B6, calcium, potassium, copper, manganese, and selenium.

Number nine: Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants, fiber, magnesium, manganese, and copper. It is one of the best snacks to eat in moderation. Consumption of dark chocolate is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, improved blood pressure, and brain function. But it is important to make sure to get dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa content.

Number ten: Potatoes
Potatoes are a popular root vegetable consumed all around the world. They are rich in potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, and manganese, and vitamin C. Potatoes are one of the most filling foods available and can be incorporated into the diet in a variety of ways. However, it is important to consume the whole food rather than snacks made with potatoes to get the maximum health benefits.

Number eleven: Animal Liver
Organ meats such as liver are one of the most nutrient-dense foods available. Liver is rich in high-quality animal protein, vitamins A, many of the B vitamins, including B12, and minerals such as iron, copper, zinc, phosphorus, and selenium. However, it is best to consume animal liver in moderation due to its likelihood of adverse outcomes since it is high in vitamin A. Pregnant mothers should completely avoid eating animal liver due to the increased risk of birth defects in the baby.

Number twelve: Shellfish
Shellfish such as oysters and clams are excellent sources of vitamin B12 and zinc. They also provide good amounts of vitamin D, other B vitamins, potassium, selenium, and iron. Moreover, shellfish are one of the best sources of high-quality animal protein.

Number thirteen: Seaweed
Seaweed are edible plant species found in the ocean and are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. They are a common ingredient found in sushi. Most often, seaweed is more nutritious than vegetables. They provide minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, iodine, and manganese, as well as carotenoids and other antioxidants.

In addition to these foods, some other names worth mentioning include broccoli, ginger, spinach, beef, mushrooms, and sweet potatoes.