To anyone who has had the pleasure of being in the company of Deena Kastor, either in a direct conversation, enjoying her latest podcast, or by listening in to her commentary at the world’s top races, you already know the joy that she brings to every encounter. But did you know that she also takes that mindset to her training and performance?
In a recent TEDx Talk, Kastor shared that she strategically practices joy to unlock her optimal mental and physical capabilities – from waiting for joy, to actively training for it. “Not just good sportsmanship, but using a positive perspective to get the most out of a workout.”
In the eleven and a half minutes of her talk, Deena shares the secret sauce to her outsized success on and off the track and roads. If you have read her acclaimed book, Let Your Mind Run, you heard about how she harnessed the power of a joyful attitude to become one of the great runners of all time. If you are lucky enough to know Deena personally, you have observed how she genuinely ‘walks the talk’ in all aspects of her life.
How did she get started? Deena states, “I decided to strategically add joy to my day hoping it would optimize my mental and physical performance. The next Sunday, I woke early and warmed scones in the oven. I made coffee in my favorite french press, and I grabbed the new subscription to the newspaper waiting for me at the front door.” Kastor continued, “Once done enjoying breakfast and reading the comics section of the paper, I put on my favorite running outfit, the one that makes me feel fast – I laced up my shoes and bounded over to the park to meet up with my team.”
Her following words: “The results were immediate.”
Watch Deena’s full TEDx Talk below to learn how she – and how you can – actively practice joy as a priority in the day, whether “your 15 mile training run looks more like opening emails on Monday morning, or the ever growing laundry pile in the hallway.”
