How to create an optimal and high-performance routine that helps you (holistically) to achieve anything and be the best you
An advanced maximum performance experiment
This is the final report of an experiment that tries to show what happens when you create and follow an advanced maximum performance routine created following the best hacks of other successful tests. The goal is to create a develop, more direct and effective Holistic High-Performance.
Here you can find the prologue for more of an understanding.
Next, the script of the report is detailed, and then each of the areas analysed in-depth once the experiment is finished
Index
This is the index of contents for the advanced maximum performance routine experiment:
- Formulation and context.
- Control panel.
- Day by day detail.
- Hypothesis.
- I have validated learning.
- Considerations and limitations.
- Conclusion.
Context of the experiment
This test was born as a possibility to create a selection of the most effective techniques that were taken from other trials, tests. And the challenges that I have carried out in recent years to develop an advanced maximum performance routine.
A series of “improvements” are observed, that can be applied to a daily advanced maximum performance routine, to be able to provide it with more effectiveness in the personal results (leisure, food, rest, sport, self-awareness, objectives, etc.). And the professional results (productivity, clarity, focus, organisation, goals, projects, teamwork, etc.). Through this lifestyle experiment, results in a series of daily habits are formulated that exponentially improve the day intellectually, spiritually, physically, and emotionally.
Control panel
I have created a control panel to track the experiment and identify how I respond to the practices that make up the advanced maximum performance routine:
I have taken these improvements from the method as parameters:
- Wake-up time
- Meditation
- Composition of breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner. Note: I don’t take into account what time I eat
- Moment of stillness: how many times and length
- Power naps
- Sports practice, yoga and HIIT: time and type
- Breaks of three days in a row
- Social media interactions: how many conversations or responses did I give
- Social messaging: the times I communicated via messages
- How many times I checked my emails
- Percentage of daily work I was able to cut out
- Alcohol consumption
- Weight
- Bedtime
- Daily sensations
- Daily conclusion
- Additional notes
*There is a 7-day grace period, corresponding to a rather severe party. Which caused both the results of the experiment, and I suffered a lot.
Monitoring and routine of the day-to-day experiment
These are the notes that I was taking every day according to the sensations I was experiencing on the advanced maximum performance routine, and what I was living.
Day 1–07/31/19
At the beginning of the day, I have been sleepy, as I’ve only slept 4:35h, but then that went away after a power-nap at 9:45 am, then I started the day again, reducing the workday, but lengthening it at the same time. What I see that I haven’t mastered is going to bed early, it is 11:51 pm, and here I continue, and tomorrow I have to be up soon. I feel phenomenal. My back pain is beginning to disappear, and that allows me to play sports again.
Day 2–08/01/19
Yesterday I slept too little because I did the whole routine, but the surprising thing is that I respected the time to get up and everything that came after. Of course, I needed Korean ginseng and nootropics because it was the first day of fasting, and in the morning, I was quite tired. A day recovered and won without hesitation before going to sleep.
Day 3–08/02/19
Today I skipped the nap, the total stillness and trained less than two hours in total, and nothing else. I have kept getting up early, reducing my work, meditating an hour in the morning and at night. Spent less time messaging and emailing and answering Facebook messages. Today I slept 5:45h, and I noticed that I had more energy.
Day 4–03/08/19
Ceremony day, where I meditated for about 4 hours, there has been stillness, although I’m tired, I woke up at 4:20 am, I’ve had no bread, no alcohol, and followed the routine. I’m on the third day of fasting. The sensations are pleasant because I find a lot of connection and flow. And creating has helped me in the ceremony to deepen much more than on other occasions. 2h of sport.
Day 5–04/08/19
When I went to bed at 4:30 am for the ceremony, I calculated what it would be like to get up at 4:30 am, so I woke up at 9:45 am. I have accomplished everything except, I drank two beers. And I have avoided bread during all of the meals that have been offered to me. I have extended the nap to 56 minutes. Today I have rested, although not for long. I feel good, very good.
Day 6–05/08/19
The part that is the most difficult are the distractions, especially emails, social messaging, social networks, and others. Getting up very early means that I can devote much more to myself, in addition to having a better quality of work, productivity, and dedication to the sport.
Day 7–06/08/19
A day without a nap, but with a three-hour break on the beach, a day where I slept for about four hours, and I was up at 4:35 am, and then never stopped. One of the first days where I did go to sleep early, not before 10 pm, but at 10:35 pm, but I cut off everything to get ready to rest as best as I could. A day where I left aside all interaction on social networks and where checking email and social messaging was minimum. I continued with fasting, although despite a headache, I drank a protein shake and juice because I felt it could be an essential energy downturn. When I took it, I recovered right away.
Day 8–07/08/19
A super full day, with some rest, second day of fasting, travelling, 19 minutes of total stillness, 21 minutes of meditation on the plane to Bogotá. An hour of meditation when I woke up, this time lying down. The point of the routine is that it covers the four dimensions of human potential.
Day 9–08/08/19
I went to bed late again. I have eaten some organic bread for dinner, and besides that, I have maintained the routine. And I did 2:15h of sport.
Day 10–08/09/19
A day with alcohol (a glass of white wine), wheat, going to bed very late, a lot of work and commitments.
Day 11–08/10/19
A calm day, respecting all of the parameters, all except going to bed early, something that I can just not master.
Day 12–08/11/19
A more or less regulated day. I got up at 6 am but because I went to bed at 2:45 am. The proportion would add up, although it would not serve as validation, as going to bed early is hard for me, I have hardly achieved that a single day. I ate some unnecessary carbohydrates; I said no a lot. And, I did 2 hours of sport, I meditated 1h in total, at night I wasn’t alone so didn’t do it, I reduced my work by 90%, the previous day by 70%. I feel great not eating bread, and I ate just two meals, plus a bowl of miso soup. I have not meditated the necessary amount of time, neither at night, it’s more difficult when you are not alone and have just had dinner and are tired.
Day 13–08/12/19
A full day of sports, interviews, conferences, work, sharing it with another person and with the work team. I slept for 4 hours, this time I took a nap, I still respect carbohydrates, I’m again doing two hours (minimum) of sport, I keep reducing the % of the work I do. I continue with fasting, I still can not go to bed early, and less when you go to bed accompanied. And, I keep optimising some parameters and neglecting others. And I continue to conform to a new component in my lifestyle, an important and transformative one that is quite radical, which is included in the equation a person with who you spend your days. Zero alcohol, zero meat, etc.
I haven’t thought much about the established times, because it has been such a busy day, it’s no excuse, but it is. I haven’t even thought about staying still.
Day 14–08/13/19
I woke up at 4:20 am, it has been one of the most uncomfortable meditating days. I rested a little more after doing a lot this morning; And, I decided to give myself rewards in the form of rest. I also napped for an hour, making up for the work done, more meditation, the morning meditation was hard; I didn’t feel good when I woke up. And also, I recovered after a day of work. High flow at the conference, very aligned.
Day 15–08/14/19
I slept around 2:45h, and woke up at 4:20h and had to stick to the rhythm for the rest of the day. I rested from doing sport and did my first day of fasting. Besides, I could not meditate for more than 50 minutes; then I stood still at the airport. I had to stay awake until 3:30 am due to a delay in my flight to Madrid. Then I took time to work, meditate, to stand still, in silence.
I went to the chiropractor who told me that I was super-blocked, and my back was acutely inflamed, as well as curved and uncompressed, so he applied cuppers on my back that worked great. However, I still feel blocked, I had never felt this way, I think it’s sleeping so little for so many days, adding on top of that my daily routine and the pressure and self-discipline that I impose on myself.
Day 16–08/15/19
Little to say on this day that I spent sleeping, landed at 7:30 pm, missed a flight due to the delay, stayed in Madrid, and just wanting to disconnect soon to sleep early and get up first and rested to resume the routine. Today I haven’t done a great deal, only fasting, relaxing, food, work reduction, and not much more.
Day 17–08/16/19
Intense but a more leisurely day, with more energy, with almost everything complete, including napping, stillness, meditation (not all of it), stretching, fasting, resting, got up when I wanted to, slept when I supposed to. However, my back and neck ache, I have a terrible posture, I feel very uncomfortable. I will try another relaxing bath, and see tomorrow about doing sport. I think I’m paying the price for sleeping so little and forcing the machine so much for quite a few days in a row, which I had not done so far.
Day 18–08/17/19
Today couldn’t have been more complete, I travelled to Barcelona, got up early, the bad thing is that I’m going back to bed relatively late and that ends in one way or another assuming a stigma for me. Rest is like a blessing, adapting to it more and more.
Day 19–08/18/19
Today I went out partying and broke some habits such as not drinking alcohol, eating bread, eating meat, I’m still sleeping less. Again, I feel inflow, with energy, being able to train, being in a better mood, more focused, and with better memory.
Day 20–08/26/19
The party left me completely blocked without being able to go forward or backwards. The combination of resting little and partying so much has made me disconnect from everything from Monday to Friday afternoon, being able to resume my work and activate something in my body. I have needed treatment for so much pressure on my neck, shoulders and back, something that I had not felt for so long, it may be the adjustment of my teeth and jaw, although I’m not sure. I keep investigating to understand this correlation if any. In the meantime, I’ve still not dominated going to bed early. Now I’m going to be more strict, zero alcohol, zero meat until the experiment is finished, without any exceptions.
Day 21–08/27/19
It had been a while since I was so motivated, energized, and in such a good mood, I feel like the conjunction of the hacks is better than in other experiments.
Day 22–08/28/19
Although I got to the end of the day feeling a little tired, I usually sleep almost 3 hours, today I mastered it, keeping in mind I fasted for two days in a row.
Day 23–08/29/19
Today was one for the books, I woke up at 4:35 am, having gone to bed at 23:35, I did everything this morning, apart from meditating 1h I did just 30 min, showered, said thanks into the mirror. Then I returned to sleep a few hours, when I woke up, I was another person- different from the past 20 days, the energy, focus, clarity, feeling, humour, connection with myself and with the environment, has multiplied by three, I have done everything faster, I have reached more, I have connected better, and I have felt a state of well-being different from the whole experiment. The key: more rest, I think with this routine, if I manage to go to bed early, I can talk about a state of high holistic performance that I had never reached.
Day 24–08/30/19
Today I slept less, as always, but I felt the same, with less push and spark than yesterday, but the same flow, perspective, and sensations. Energy cleaning may have more to do than I thought. I have been comfortable with everything; I believe that this routine, together with the experience that I have already been through, are creating new results for my high holistic performance. And, I have followed almost all the parameters; I haven’t left any out. I find that I have plenty of time to do extra work and have more leisure.
Day 25–09/31/19
A day without napping, and with a lot of sports with HIIT and morning yoga. A day to spend time with friends. And, a day that I forgot about the negative side, noticing the power of following an advanced performance system, feeling stable, serene, and very peaceful. I can tell the difference when I don’t nap or have that extra rest; I think it’s the extra gasoline I need. My focus starts to drop after 6 pm.
Day 26–01/09/19
Today I had a great day, although I was a little cranky with a few people. The flow approach and concentration of today have been among the best I have experienced in my whole life. I think that was due to disconnecting for a few hours to take care of myself, relaunching, and taking the weight off of myself.
Day 27–09/02/19
A demanding but manageable day, powerful but I got through it. A day in which I had a lot of energy until late at night. My participation and flow are higher than usual. I feel like I’m in better conditions despite not resting so much. More focused, more determined, and more alert.
At this point, I can say that I have dominated all of the hacks except going to sleep early, which beats me.
Day 28–03/09/19
I have found some time to do two micro-tests, of 11 min and 21 min, to have more micro-moments, to do sports, to sleep 4:43h, to do a 15 hours course. Being in connection mode, and despite several breaks, I have been active, and I have been more than I remember. I’m not sure if what I said before has something to do with it.
The best part of not eating a lot of bread and a lot of carbohydrates is that I feel lighter, less bloated (although I have never been very bloated), and more evident in my mind and decision making. I notice cleaner energy, more myself.
Also, after a day at Asia Gardens, in meditation, I notice different sensations, to which I don’t want to create aversion, but I see that I connect better with myself.
Day 29–04/09/19
Today I felt exhausted and sleepy until I took a NOCCO, which has helped me recover, my work is almost flawless, better than ever, more focused, developed, and aware. Although it’s connected with the mind and body, I don’t feel it there, but I do in my energy levels.
The truth is that everything works well, but I see that not getting enough sleep doesn’t allow me to take advantage of all the great benefits that this routine gives me, it is like the one thing that messes up the rest.
Day 30–09/05/19
Today I enter into connection and peace with myself. Still, fatigue begins to accumulate, yet I have everything ahead of me, the Program of Excellence for the unemployed, projects, sports, routines, contacts, business, etc. I don’t know if I can carry on with so little rest that I get on this advanced performance routine.
Day 31–06/09/19
Fasting day, training, a new edition of PEIG, in Madrid this time. Also, I got up early, slept a little, non-stop, I didn’t even have the time to write a post. I had to lie down in the sun at lunchtime because I was exhausted, sleeping late is the enemy that continues to win the battle, although I am not disturbed if this happens, the way it should be. The rest, the qualities that I have are multiplied by two or three with this system, although it is a pity that it is fading a bit, and a lot of it due to sleeping so little.
Day 32–07/09/19
Another day of fasting, of getting up early, of complying with the system, of teaching a 12h program of excellence for the unemployed, sports, HIIT, power yoga, and a sprint. To iterate, to work in the gaps, to present almost zero attention to social networks and messages and emails. Entering the state of flow. I had a 10-minute mini siesta. I did all that work for more than 12h in full flow without using even once any support, not even a presentation; it was just the 28 participants and myself. Although I still can’t get enough rest, and I think it’s going to stay that way because the experiment ends tomorrow.
Day 33–09/08/19
Today is the day I have rested the most from these last days because I woke up later. Upon waking, I have been much more focused, more energetic, more clear-minded, and with less resistance than the days before the first day. In spite of that, during the other days, I was always self-disciplined and fulfilled the commitment to getting up early and not staying up all night.
During the day, I have insisted more, I have been more focused, and I have entered a state of flow from 6:00 pm to almost 10:30 pm. This routine has made me able to do more and better, even with fewer resources, and with the disadvantage of sleeping so little, I think it’s my record of sleeping so little. But this isn’t due to me not being able to sleep, but to my lack of self-discipline to sleep earlier.
As my friend Antonio San José said today, when we talked about this, what I should do is be more lenient with myself at the tip of specific parameters in routines and experiments. Something that I will surely apply from now on.
Maximum performance hypothesis
It is then that during the induction phase in the advanced maximum performance routine, the question arises of whether it is possible to apply specific “hacks” that enhance much more that can be achieved, felt, and be in a systematic and daily way. That is, can you stay in a state of maximum performance for at least 12 hours a day for seven days a week? To validate the hypothesis, a period of 30 days is taken to test on.
Is it possible to reach a state of flow through a series of optimal super habits?
Can you cut out work and reconcile with your personal life, through a series of physical, nutritional and cognitive improvements and even dreams?
Why and how do certain daily practices differ that help us to enter into a High Holistic Performance routine, from others that take us away from what we most need to have under control?
How does a holistic method influence a winning lifestyle?
What connection can be found between not eating bread, practising stillness, meditating, and getting up at four in the morning? Are there other exciting resonances? Why?
Validated learning
It is the results obtained from the experimentation itself, which tells us if a holistic high-performance routine like this one that has been tried to develop works.
We all win when we unify healthy criteria (or habits) for self-discipline and self-awareness. And we do it in the short, medium, and long term. More days are getting up early, meditating, practising stillness, avoiding cheat meals, practising more sport. Having more rest, fasting more and falling into fewer distractions, a greater sense of well-being, fullness, and flow, which ends in better results in less time.
The relationship between rest and naps generated controversy before I started testing. Until with the first-person experimentation itself, and the outputs that can be seen in the dashboard, I have realised that even if you sleep early, a “power-nap” of between 19 and 45 minutes, fills the gap of energy and clearness that you’ll get from lack of sleep.
Something unexpected was the opposite (negative) effect created by having gone out partying when I didn’t expect it, more conscientious and optimal work was being done in the experiment. The great comedown subsequently suffered from energy, focus, mood, and performance, which made me realise that the more strict I was, the more damage I feel by not doing what I want to.
Going to bed early was the most controversial factor in the entire experiment and creating even, at certain times, a frustrating sensation that altered the progress of the experiment. Which has become one of the most prominent keys in terms of personal growth? Primarily, because of the inability to “dominate,” this parameter has succeeded in accepting it as it is, rather than an enemy.
Changing my mentality from “again it’s late, and I’m still here,” to “here I am, that’s how it should be, that’s why I’m still awake, it’s an opportunity I didn’t see before”.
Considerations and limitations
There have been defined as “blind zones” when trying to put together an advanced maximum performance routine through a High Holistic Performance:
- The carelessness or little importance is given to what it would mean to interrupt the routine, just at the critical moment, by going out partying. As good as it was.
- The disruption of the days after partying and the subsequent hangover.
- The limiting belief that the experiment was not working because I wasn’t going to sleep early.
I have not identified limitations during the conclusion of the experiment.
Conclusions on creating an advanced routine of maximum performance
If you take a moment to make a point, you draw a beautiful, firm, and stable line. That is what happens when you extract the best practices from the best rituals that you can create in the four dimensions of human potential. I mean: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. If you also place them in an orderly and prioritised manner in a daily High Holistic Performance routine and execute it every day without exception. What you get is to train your whole being to sharpen every possible action that can emanate from you. This results in concise, measured, intentional and healthy movements, for you, and therefore, for others.
Not everything must work for everything to work; you have to look at the data and not what the mind makes you believe.
Any questions, considerations, doubts or requests about this advanced maximum performance routine or how to create yours for maximum performance?
Make this story rock only if you find it worth it! Please, clap if you did find any value.
Isra Garcia = 56 clients, 51businesses advised, 410speakings, 3.915 posts, 28 projects, 8 books, 420lectures, 6 companies, 19 adventures, 31experiments, ∞ failures. So far…
Marketer. Advisor. Speaker. Writer. Educator. Impresario. Principal at IG. Blogger. Entrepreneur. Disruptive innovation. Digital transformation. High-performer and a lifestyle experimentalist.
